ti>dtiZ  ttuu    UririL. 


Cz?  &Z  iJ-L^l^^  <?£?  C^L^-  C^sL^^^ 


DISCOURSE 


DELIVERED    TO    THE 


FIRST  PARISH  IN  HINGHAM, 


SEPTEMBER  8,   i 


}     *  ^^yy 


RE-OPENING  THEIR  MEETING-HOUSE, 


CALVIN    LINCOLN, 

Sixth  Pastor  of  the  Parish. 


"WITH    AN    APPENDIX. 


HINGHAM: 

PUBLISHED    BY    T II E    PARISH 

l873. 


JAMES  P.  COTTER  &  CO.,  PRINTERS, 

14  State  Street, 
HUSTON. 


PREFATORY  NOTE 


The  publication  of  this  Discourse  was  postponed  to  the  present 
time,  because  it  was  deemed  desirable  to  accompany  it  by  some 
account  of  the  history  of  the  Meeting-house.  It  is  now  the  oldest  place 
of  public  worship  in  New  England,  if  not  in  the  United  States,  having 
been  erected  in  1681.  The  undersigned  undertook  to  collect  the  facts 
of  its  history,  to  be  found  in  public  and  private  records,  and,  also,  those 
transmitted  by  traditions  of  our  fathers,  many  of  which,  if  not  now 
preserved  in  a  permanent  form,  will  be  in  danger  of  being  lost 
forever.  We  have  been  especially  fortunate  in  discovering  in  various 
old  manuscripts,  many  curious  and  interesting  facts,  which  will  appear 
in  the  Appendix.  We  are  able  to  give  a  full  list  of  those  persons  to 
whom  seats  were  assigned  in  the  Meeting-house  before  it  was  opened 
for  public  worship.  We  have  illustrated  our  work  by  prefixing  a 
Portrait  of  Rev.  Mr.  Lincoln,  the  present  Pastor  of  the  Parish,  and 
by  inserting  also  a  View  of  the  Ancient  Edifice,  and  have  added  Plans 
of  the  Pews,  both  Old  and  New.  In  the  labor  of  collecting  and 
preparing  the  materials  for  the  Appendix,  each  member  of  the 
committee  has  had  the  pleasure  of  participating. 


Solomon  Lincoln, 

QUINCY    BlCKNELL, 

George  Lincoln, 
Fearing  Burr, 
Henry    C.  Harding,  > 


Committee  of 
Publication. 


Hingiiam,  July  1,  1873. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://archive.org/details/deliverOOIinc 


DISCOURSE 


Acts  III:  25.-"  YE  ARE  THE   CHILDREN  OF  THE  PROPHETS  AND  OF  THE  COVENANT 
WHICH  GOD  MADE  WITH  YOUR  FATHERS." 


Only  twelve  years  are  wanting  to  complete  two  centuries, 
since  our  fathers  first  assembled  for  Christian  worship  beneath 
this  roof.  Compared  with  this  edifice,  the  house  which  they 
erected  was  of  narrow  dimensions,  and  of  rude  and  inexpensive 
workmanship.  Neither  plastering  nor  paint  was  employed  to 
exclude  the  freezing  winds  of  winter,  or  to  conceal  the  roughly 
hewn  timbers  by  which  it  was  supported.  Cushioned  pews  in 
an  atmosphere  artificially  softened,  were  un thought  of  and 
undesired  by  the  earnest  men  and  women  of  that  generation. 
Seats  of  oak  covered  the  entire  area,  both  of  the  floor  and  the 
galleries,  and  these  were  occupied  on  the  one  side  by  the  male 
and  on  the  other  by  the  female  portion  of  the  congregation. 
Still,  when  we  consider  the  numbers  and  the  resources  of  the 
builders;  their  offering  for  the  worship  of  God,  for  the 
upbuilding  of  Christ's  kingdom,  and  for  the  highest  Avclfare  of 
our  race,  greatly  exceeded  in  expensiveness,  the  more  costly 
structure  which  we  have  now  assembled  to  recledicate  to  the 
service  of  our  father's  God.  Place  yourselves  in  imagination 
in  the  midst  of  these  early  inhabitants.  Somewhat  less  than 
fifty  years  had  elapsed  since  their  homes  were  the  homes  of  a 
since  their  cultivated  fields  were  covered  with 


primeval  forests—  the  hunting  ground  and  the  hiding  place  of  the 
bear  and  the  panther.  Our  Puritan  and  Pilgrim  ancestors  did 
not  generally  belong  to  the  wealthier  classes  in  the  country  from 
which  they  emigrated.  A  portion  of  their  estates,  if  no  pecuniary 
sacrifice  attended  their  sale,  was  necessarily  expended  in  their 
passage  across  the  Atlantic.  Less  than  fifty  years  had  been 
occupied  in  felling  the  woods,  in  reclaiming  the  soil  and  in  build- 
ing a  shelter  for  themselves  and  their  families.  This  was  their 
second  Meeting-house ;  and  when  its  cost  is  estimated  by  the 
population  and  the  property  of  the  settlement,  how  exceedingly 
is  its  value  enhanced,  how  are  its  proportions  magnified  ?  it 
stands  before  us  as  a  worthy  monument  of  Christian  faithfulness 
and  heroic  courage,  of  lofty  aims  and  willing  sacrifices  in 
the  cause  of  Christ  and  for  the  extension  of  His  kingdom  in 
the  world.  As  we  go  back  in  thought  to  that  day  in  mid-winter, 
when  for  the  first  time  within  these  walls,  the  incense  of  praise 
and  prayer  arose  from  subdued  but  believing  hearts  to  the 
throne  of  the  Eternal ;  can  we  withhold  our  heartfelt  reverence 
for  the  enduring  faith,  the  dauntless  courage,  and  the  deep-toned 
piety  of  the  worshippers  ?  and  as  we  remember  how  inwrought 
was  their  conviction  of  God's  immediate  presence,  how  earnest 
their  prayers,  how  real  to  their  hearts  were  the  verities  of  the 
spiritual  world,  what  tender  and  awe-inspiring  associations 
gather  around  the  place  :  it  becomes  to  us  more  than  ever  before 
the  House  of  God  and  the  Gate  of  Heaven. 

The  men  who  in  weakness  and  penury  executed  this  work 
and  the  generations  which  followed  them,  were  quick  in 
discovering  the  demand  of  the  time  in  which  they  lived,  and 
prompt  in  providing  the  required  supply.  As  the  town  increased 
in  population  and  property,  more  ample  and  improved  accommo- 
dations for  public  worship  became  a  necessity.  Ascribing  less 
of  sacrcdness  to  the  house  than  to  the  uses  for  which  it  was 
ted  and  by  which  it  was  sanctified  ;  our  fathers  at  an  early 


period,  cheerfully  consented  to  important  changes.  Two  very 
considerable  additions  were  made  to  its  dimensions ;  the 
situation  of  the  pulpit  was  changed  and  a  new  one  constructed. 
From  time  to  time  pews  were  introduced,  and  this  process 
continued  until  the  last  remains  of  the  original  seats  of  oak 
had  disappeared.  Other  alterations  in  the  interior  arrange- 
ments conducive  to  the  comfort  of  the  worshippers,  have  shown 
the  willingness  of  the  parish  to  consult  the  wishes  of  its  younger 
members,  and  to  conform,  in  all  things  innocent,  to  the  customs 
observed  in  other  societies,  and  to  the  taste  of  the  passing 
time. 

Thus  modified  in  its  interior,  but  retaining  its  original 
external  form,  this  Meeting-house  after  the  passage  of  nearly 
two  centuries,  became  the  inheritance  of  the  present  generation. 

In  our  early  New  England  edifices  however  massive  and 
enduring  their  timbers,  no  adequate  ventilation  secured  those 
portions  of  them  in  proximity  to  the  earth  from  a  gradual  but 
certain  loss  of  vitality  and  strength.  For  years  it  had  been 
known  that  our  house  of  worship  was  suffering  from  the  cause 
just  named.  Within  the  current  year  it  became  evident  on 
examination,  that  thorough  and  somewhat  expensive  repairs 
must  be  made  if  we  would  save  this  venerated  structure  from 
rapidly  increasing  decay  and  from  becoming  at  no  very  distant 
period  a  deserted  ruin.  This  fact  was  not  the  only  consideration 
which  influenced  the  action  of  the  parish.  A  very  considerable 
portion  of  the  Society,  including  the  major  part  of  its  younger 
members,  without  whose  active  interest  no  society  can  live  and 
prosper,  believed  the  time  to  have  fully  arrived  when  the 
welfare  of  the  parish  demanded  more  comfortable  pews  on 
the  lower  floor,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  worshippers. 
Such  extensive  alterations  when  first  proposed,  were  regarded 
by  numbers  in  the  parish,  especially  among  its  older  members, 
with  strong  disfavor.     Our  life-long  associations  with  the  place, 


the  tender  memories  of  childhood  and  the  deeper  experiences 
of  maturer  life,  the  history  of  the  past,  the  struggles  and  the 
fortitude  of  the  generation  who,  in  obedience  to  the  divine 
voice  in  their  hearts  had  sought  a  home  in  the  wilderness, 
marked  epochs  in  our  country's  annals,  when  Christian  patriots 
gathered  within  these  walls  to  consult  for  the  welfare  of  the 
States,  and  to  ask  strength  and  wisdom  of  God  in  prayer,  the 
record  of  venerable  men  and  women,  of  distinguished  and  able 
ministers  and  honored  citizens  who  had  here  sought  the  instruc- 
tions and  here  shared  in  the  consolations  and  hopes  of  the 
Gospel ;  all  seemed  with  a  united  voice  to  forbid  the  proposed 
innovations ;  and  it  appeared  almost  a  sacrilege  to  remove  a 
single  memorial  of  a  past  so  hallowed  in  our  hearts  by 
sentiments  of  reverence  and  love.  These  first  impressions 
however,  were  removed  as  we  calmly  considered  the  question 
before  us.  It  was  generally  seen  that  the  intended  work  was 
not  one  of  destruction,  but  of  preservation ;  that  the  form  and 
external  appearance  of  the  house  would  remain  unchanged,  and 
that  the  visible  alterations  in  the  interior  would  not  extend  to 
the  more  ancient,  but  to  those  portions  of  the  building  which 
were  comparatively  of  recent  construction ;  and  it  was  very 
plain  that  we  should  more  truly  honor  the  fathers  by  imitating 
their  practice,  who  were  not  slow  in  complying  with  the 
requirements  of  the  time  in  which  they  lived,  than  by  simply 
retaining  the  work  of  their  hands.  Great  credit  is  certainly 
due  to  the  more  advanced  in  years  for  the  cheerful  spirit  with 
which  they  have  yielded  their  personal  wishes  in  compliance 
with  the  wishes  of  the  majority.  Shall  we  not  count  it  a 
specially  happy  omen,  that  a  work  of  such  magnitude  in  itself, 
and  a! (ended  by  so  many  dilliculties,  lias  been  undertaken  and 
executed  with  so  much  unanimity,  with  so  much  hope  and 
courage?  Have  we  not  a  right  to  expect  that  those  who  have 
so  earnestly  desired  to  improve  this  temple  made  with  hands, 


9 


will,  by  a  new  dedication  of  themselves  to  the  service  of  God 
and  the  cause  of  Christ,  become  more  fitting  temples  for  the 
indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ? 

A  question  of  graver  import  now  demands  our  consideration. 
Is  our  present  ecclesiastical  position  true  to  the  principles,  on 
which  this  church  as  a  living  branch  of  the  living  vine,  was 
first  established  ?  That  our  church  in  its  theology  has  departed 
somewhat  widely  from  the  opinions  held  by  its  Puritan  founders, 
there  can  be  no  question.  Still  I  believe  that  while  we  have 
discarded  opinions  which  they  accepted  as  true,  and  adopted 
explanations  of  doctrines  which  they  would  have  rejected  as 
false,  we  are  loyal  to  principles  which  they  distinctly  avowed 
and  announced  as  fundamental.  Our  fathers,with  all  Protestants, 
were  unquestioning  believers  in  the  sufficiency  of  the  Scriptures 
as  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  Most  certainly  they  did  not 
cross  the  ocean  and  endure  the  hardships  of  the  wilderness  to 
form  a  Lyceum  for  the  study  of  the  sciences,  nor  to  found  a 
school  of  philosophy  to  inquire  whether  men  were  endowed 
with  a  spiritual  nature,  nor  whether  a  communication  from  the 
infinite  to  the  finite  mind  were  a  possibility  ;  but  they  came 
hither  for  the  express  purpose  of  establishing  a  Christian 
church  on  the  foundation  of  Prophets  and  Apostles,  Jesus 
Christ,  himself,  being  the  chief  corner-stone.  In  Him  they 
believed  as  the  Son  of  God,  the  representative  of  divine 
perfections,  the  revealer  of  the  divine  will,  and  being  such,  as 
their  Lord  and  Savior.  This  was  the  one  prominent  doctrine 
in  the  covenants  used  in  the  admission  of  members  to  church 
privileges  ;  on  this  one  fundamental  doctrine  our  church  lias 
stood  through  its  past  history  ;  on  this  foundation  I  thank  God 
it  stands  to-day.  In  confirmation  of  this  statement,  I  refer  you 
to  the  records  of  the  time,  to  the  covenant  adopted  by  the 
church  at  Salem,  and  cordially  approved  by  leading  represen- 
tatives   of    the    Pilgrims    at   Plymouth,    and    so   far    as   our 


10 


knowledge  extends  to  the  prevailing  practice  throughout  New 

England.     At  this  early  period  if  the  representations  of  Cotton 

Mather  are  trustworthy,  character  was  the  primary  condition  of 

membership  in  the  church ;  the  candidate  was  not  usually  if 

ever  required  to  accept  a  creed  expressed  in  words  of  human 

device,  and  avowing  a  decided  opinion  on  the  more  difficult 

and  abstruse  points  in  a  metaphysical  theology.     The  candidate 

was  required  to  avow  his  faith  in  Gocl  and  Christ  and  the  Holy 

Spirit,  and  to  declare  his  determination  to  devote  himself  to  his 

Master's  service  ;  he  was  required  to  make  the   Scriptures  his 

study,  and  to  accept  their  instructions.     Creeds,  technically  so 

called,  were  the   contrivance  of  a  later  period.     They  were 

unknown  in  the  churches  until  found  necessary  to  check  the 

growth  of  new  opinions,  the  natural  consequence  of  a  faithful 

study  of  the  sacred  volume.     Is  it  not  obviously  true  that  with 

finite  minds,  honest  and  intelligent  inquiry  for  truth  pertaining 

to  the  infinite,  must  issue  in  diversity  of  opinions  ?     For  this 

result  our  early  churches,  unintentionally  it  may  be  presumed, 

prepared  the  way  in  the  covenants  which  they  adopted.     Am  I 

reminded  that  the  Massachusetts  Puritans  came  to  this  country 

with  a  specific  aim  and  purpose  ;  and  in  trying  to  accomplish 

this  purpose  were  severely  intolerant  of  dissent  ?    I  allow  at  once 

that  their  views  were  narrow,  and  unjust  to  the  inborn  rights  of 

the  human  soul ;  but  we  should  remember  that  inconsistency  is 

no  uncommon  mark  of  human  imperfection.     These  same  men 

were  dissenters  from  the  established  church  in  England.    They 

boldly  defended  their  right  to  depart  from  Episcopal  usages, 

and  in   defending  their  own   course,   asserted   and  maintained 

principles,  which,  followed  to  their  legitimate  conclusions,  were 

utterly  incompatible  witli  bigotry  in  judgment,  and  persecution 

in    practice.     They    solemnly    declared    that    they    could   not 

conscientiously  bow  to   the  dictation  of   any  human  authority, 

because    the   finite   mind   owes   its  supreme  allegiance  to   the 


11 


infinite  mind.  In  this  statement,  we  have  the  fundamental, 
underlying  support,  the  seed  truth  of  all  rational  liberty,  civil 
and  religious. 

The  men  of  this  generation  were  earnest  and  profound 
thinkers;  and  do  you  believe  that  a  quickening  truth  like  this 
could  long  remain  unfruitful  in  their  ever-wakeful  minds,  or 
that  in  due  time,  the  depth  of  its  meaning  and  the  extent  of  its 
application  should  not  be  generally  understood  and  accepted  ? 
Still  further,  the  church  which  our  fathers  planted  in  this  place 
was  on  the  very  borders  of  the  Plymouth  Colony,  and 
unquestionably  held  communion  with  the  church  of  which 
Robinson  was  the  pastor  in  England  and  in  Holland.  Can  we 
believe  that  the  band  of  pilgrims  who  left  him  with  tearful  eyes 
and  aching  hearts  would  soon  forget  his  farewell  address  ?  You 
know  how  faithfully  he  warned  them  against  an  unintelligent 
adherence  to  accepted  doctrines,  exhorting  them  to  follow  him 
no  farther  than  he  followed  Christ,  and  assuring  them  of  his 
own  belief  "  that  God  had  yet  more  truth  to  break  forth  from  his 
holy  word."  Great  truths  and  worthy  sentiments  possess  an 
innate  life  and  a  power  of  diffusion;  they  pass  from  mind  to 
mind  ;  they  enter  into  the  common  thought  until  they  become  a 
reforming  force  in  the  world.  Can  Ave  doubt  that  the  words  of 
the  beloved  pastor  were  often  repeated  by  members  of  his  flock 
amid  the  anxieties  and  bereavements  of  their  first  winter  at 
Plymouth  ?  Must  they  not  have  been  frequently  reported  by 
such  men  as  Brewster,  and  Bradford,  and  Winslow,  in  their 
intercourse  with  other  churches  ?  and  when  reported,  could  they 
fail  to  stimulate  inquiry  and  to  encourage  freedom  of  thought  ? 

In  calling  your  attention  to  this  very  early  period  in  our 
history,  I  would  not  be  thought  to  suggest  even  a  doubt 
concerning  the  opinions  generally  held  by  our  fathers.  There 
can  be  no  question  that  they  firmly  believed  in  that  logically 
adjusted  system  of  doctrines  previously  published  and  defended 


12 


by  the  controlling  mind  in  the  Genevan  School  of  Theology. 
But  what  I  do  urge  and  believe  is  this, — that  the  founders  of 
our  churches,  by  acknowledging  the  worth  of  the  individual 
soul ;  by  insisting  on  man's  direct  responsibleness  to  God  for  his 
opinions  ;  by  urging  believers  to  study  with  diligence  the  sacred 
scriptures  and  freely  to  search  for  the  truth,  did  plant  in  the 
minds  of  the  people,  convictions  and  opinions  which  must  lead 
to  unanticipated  results ;  convictions  in  regard  to  the  duties  and 
consequently  to  the  rights  of  the  individual,  which,  with 
constantly  increasing  means  of  knowledge,  must  conduct  them 
to  improved  methods  of  study,  to  new  interpretations  of 
scripture  language,  and  -to  improved  statements  of  Christian 
doctrines.  Gould  men  who  believed  themselves  religiously 
bound  to  search  for  truth  long  refrain  from  claiming  the  right 
to  avow  their  supposed  discoveries,  or  from  according  this  right 
to  their  fellow  disciples  ? 

May  we  not  confidently,  and  with  gratitude  to  God,  turn  to 
our  own  past  history  in  illustration  of  the  views  which  have  been 
presented  and  humbly  claim  that  Ave  are  lineal  children  of 
Puritan  and  Pilgrim  fathers  ?  Our  church  commenced  its 
existence  under  the  spiritual  guidance  and  inspiring  influence  of 
a  man  of  no  ordinary  mind  or  character.  Pev.  Peter  Hobart 
was  born  in  England,  and  received  his  education  in  the 
university  of  Cambridge.  To  an  intellect  of  great  clearness 
and  vigor ;  to  large  acquirements ;  to  pulpit  talents  which 
secured  him  distinction  in  his  native  land  and  in  that  of  his 
adoption,  he  added  a  warm  and  generous  heart.  '  He  had  a 
quick  perception  of  justice,  a  ready  sympathy  for  the  oppressed, 
and  was  an  ardent  friend  of  civil  liberty.  In  defending  what  he 
believed  to  be  the  rights  of  a  portion  of  his  flock,  he  withstood, 
in  argument,  the  magistrates  of  the  colony;  and  by  doing  so, 
incurred  their  censure;  so  that  on  one  occasion  he  was 
forbidden  to  preach  in  Boston,  as  the  excellent  Winthrop  said, 


13 


"  because  be  was  a  bold  man  and  would  speak  his  mind." 
A  man  of  such  large  liberal  views  on  other  subjects  could 
hardly  be  a  bigot  in  religion.  Hence  as  Mather  informs  us, 
"  he  cherished  a  hearty  love  towards  pious  men  though  they 
were  not  in  all  things  of  his  own  persuasion,  saying,  'I  can 
carry  them  in  my  bosom,'  and  states  that  he  had  a  strong 
dislike  for  men,  who,  under  pretence  of  church  discipline,  were 
very  pragmatical  in  controversies,  applying  to  them  the  words 
of  Mr.  Cotton,  '  that  some  men  were  all  church  and  no  Christ.'  " 

Of  the  Rev.  John  Norton,  far  less  is  known  than  of  his 
predecessor.  He  received  a  liberal  education  and  was  endowed 
with  highly  respectable  powers.  His  preaching  was  chiefly 
practical,  and  consisted  to  a  great  extent  in  applying  Christian 
doctrines,  as  then  understood,  to  the  nurture  of  a  divine  life  in 
the  souls  of  his  hearers.  He  was  a  faithful  and  beloved 
pastor. 

The  third  minister  of  this  parish,  Dr.  Ebenezer  Gay,  was 
widely  known  as  a  learned  theologian  and  an  independent 
thinker,  as  a  man  of  great  prudence,  of  sound  judgment,  and 
of  a  catholic  spirit.  Dr.  Gay  was  a  student  through  life.  In 
his  expositions  of  Christian  doctrines  he  was  generally  under- 
stood to  differ  materially  from  his  predecessors ;  so  that 
dissatisfaction  was  occasionally  expressed  by  a  small  number 
of  his  flock,  not  so  much  (as  is  often  the  case  in  our  own  time,) 
"  on  account  of  what  he  did  as  of  what  he  did  not  say."  In 
the  convention  of  Congregational  ministers  and  in  ecclesiastical 
councils,  his  great  influence  was  invariably  exerted  in  the 
promotion  of  peace  and  mutual  charity  among  his  brethren. 
Though  a  prudent  man,  Dr.  Gay  was  a  stranger  to  timidity. 
When  every  clergyman  in  Boston  refused  to  join  in  ordaining 
the  first  minister  of  the  West  Church,  because  of  his  anti- 
trinitarian  opinions,  he  attended  the  ordination,  preached  the 
sermon,  and  addressed  the  pastor-elect  in  the  following  words : 


14 


"  I  have  been  pleased  in  frequent  conversations  with  you,  to 
observe  your  thirst  after  knowledge,  a  desire  to  find  truth,  to 
prove  all  things  and  to  hold  fast  that  which  is  good." 

Dr.  Henry  Ware  is  known  to  you  by  his  printed  works, 
rather  than  by  your  remembrance  of  his  services  in  this  pulpit. 
His  logical  mind,  his  sound  judgment,  his  large  attainments  and 
his  candid  temper,  enabled  him  to  exert  a  great  influence  on 
other  minds  during  the  protracted  period  of  his  public  labors. 

Of  his  successor,  even  were  it  needful,  as  he  is  still  living,  it 
would  be  unbecoming  in  me  to  speak. 

As  wre  thus  review  the  past  history  of  our  church,  can  we 
withhold  our  warmest  gratitude  from  that  all-merciful  Being  who 
permits  us  to  enter  into  this  rich  inheritance.  How  various  and 
affecting  are  our  associations  with  this  ancient  house  of  worship. 
Still  how  much  more  precious  is  the  legacy  bequeathed  to  us  in 
the  lives  and  characters  of  the  Christian  men  and  women  of 
successive  generations  who  have  here  assembled  for  communion 
with  God.  As  we  reflect  upon  their  trials  and  their  fortitude, 
their  fidelity  in  the  search  for  truth,  calling  no  man  master,  yet 
bowing  humbly  before  the  authority  of  the  Savior's  teachings ; 
as  we  think  of  their  willing  sacrifices  in  the  interest  of  humanity, 
their  piety  towards  God  and  their  benevolence  towards  men ; 
does  not  a  voice,  increasing  in  volume  and  power  as  it 
approaches,  come  to  our  hearts,  through  all  this  long  past, 
commanding  and  entreating  us  to  enter  resolutely  into  their 
labors,  urging  us  not  to  look  backward  and  glory  in  their 
efforts  and  achievements,  but  to  look  forward,  and  with  manly 
courage  and  devoted  hearts  to  take  up  the  work  which  God  is 
now  giving  us  to  do  ? 

And  now,  friends  of  this  parish,  the  designed  repairs  on  tins 
house  and  the  contemplated  improvements  in  its  interior 
arrangements  have  been  completed.  With  glad  hearts  we 
again  (Miter  within   its  portals,  and  anew  consecrate  it  to  the 


15 


worship  of  the  one  living  and  true  God.  To  Him  the  all-wi,se, 
all-holy,  to  Him  the  infinite  being  unseen  by  mortal  eyes,  but 
manifested  in  the  person  of  His  Son,  we  devote  it :  to  the 
cause  of  Christ  it  is  henceforth  dedicated,  to  the  unfolding  of 
his  truth  and  the  enforcements  of  His  precepts,  to  the  highest 
interests  of  immortal  souls,  it  is  consecrated.  Here  may  the 
unthinking  be  awakened,  the  inquirer  for  truth  be  blessed  with 
a  divine  illumination :  here  may  the  mourner  receive  strength 
and  comfort  from  the  ever  present  friend  of  the  afflicted,  and 
here  may  all  who  are  seeking  a  divine  life,  be  helped  forward 
in  the  pathway  to  Heaven.  And  while  these  walls  shall  stand, 
may  there  never  be  wanting  within  them  a  congregation  of 
earnest  worshippers,  hungering  to  be  fed  with  the  bread  from 
Heaven,  nor  a  voice  to  proclaim  to  them  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 


•-M^ 


?§3i^SpM^--- 


APPENDIX: 

CONTAINING  A  BRIEF  ACCOUNT  OP  THE  FIRST  MEETING- 
HOUSE OF  THE  PARISH;   A  FULL  HISTORY  OF  THE 
PRESENT,  BEING  THE  SECOND  HOUSE  OF  WORSHIP; 
MINISTERS  OF  THE  PARISH;  CHOIR;  SINGING; 
ORGAN;   HYMN  BOOKS  AND  OTHER  MEMO- 
RANDA FROM  THE  PARISH  RECORDS. 


19 


MEETING-HOUSES. 


Some  account  of  the  Meeting-house,  the  recledication  of  which, 
after  extensive  repairs,  was  the  occasion  of  the  preceding  discourse, 
may  be  of  interest  to  those  who,  from  residence  or  association,  have 
been  by  themselves  or  their  ancestors  connected  with  the  town  or 
parish  to  which  this  house  has  respectively  belonged. 

It  was  the  second  house  erected  for  the  purpose  of  public  worship 
within  the  territorial  limits  of  Hingham,  including  Cohasset.  It  was 
built  by  the  town  before  it  was  divided  into  parishes. 


THE    FIRST    MEETING-HOUSE. 


The  first  house  for  public  worship  was  erected  by  the  first  settlers 
of  the  town  probably  within  a  short  time  after  its  settlement  in  1635. 
It  was  situated  on  a  slight  eminence  in  front  of  the  present  site  of 
the  Derby  Academy.  It  was  surrounded  by  a  palisado,  and 
surmounted  by  a  belfry  with  a  bell.  Around  it,  upon  the  declivity  of 
the  hill,  the  dead  were  buried,  where  after  a  repose  of  nearly  two 
centuries,  they  were  disturbed  by  the  march  of  improvement. 

In  1831,  the  hill  was  removed,  and  the  remains,  which  were 
disinterred  by  the  removal,  were  carefully  collected  and  buried  in  a 
substantial  vault,  in  the  old  fort,  within  the  limits  of  the  Hingham 
Cemetery,  and  a  simple  granite  monument  was  erected  over  them,  by 
order  of  the  Town,  and  it  bears  the  inscription  in  front,  "  To  the 
first  Settlers  of  Hingham."  and  on  the  reverse,  "  Erected  by  the 
Town,  1839." 

The  first  Meeting-house  like  the  early  dwellings  of  the  settlers, 
was     undoubtedly    a    rude    structure,    although    the     scanty    records 


20 


relating  to  it  which  remain,  indicate  that  it  was  not  wholly  devoid  of 
ornament,  or  of  taste  in  its  construction. 

At  a  town  meeting  held  March  11th,  1644-5,  "Joshua  Hubbard 
and  Nicholas  Jacob,  was  deputed  by  the  town  to  make  an  agreement 
with  the  young  men  to  set  up  a  Gallery  at  the  AVest  end  of  the 
Meeting  House  as  well  for  the  length  and  breadth  as  for  the  place." 
An  agreement  was  accordingly  made  with  "  Edward  Gilman,  Thomas 
Turner,  John  Sutton  and  Daniel  Lyncon,"  empowering  them  to  build 
"  at  the  North  side  of  the  Meeting  House,  one  Gallery  for  themselves 
and  such  as  they  shall  admit  of,  the  manner  to  be  as  followeth.  The 
length  to  be  the  breadth  of  the  Meeting  House,  the  breadth  of  it  not 
to  exceed  six  feet  and  the  height  to  be  at  the  discretion  of  Stephen 
Lincoln,  the  workman  ;  all  the  posts  and  pillars  to  be  turned,  the 
floor  rabyted  and  matched  and  this  gallery  to  remain  the 
property  of  the  aforesaid  Edw.  Gilman,  Tho's  Turner,  John  Sutton, 
the  younger,  and  Daniel  Lincon  and  the  rest  of  their  partners  who 
join  with  them  in  the  building." 

This  house  was  the  only  place  for  public  worship,  for  forty-live 
years  from  the  settlement  of  the  town,  and  during  the  entire  ministry 
of  the  first  Pastor,  Rev.  Peter  Hobart,  who  died  January  20, 1678-9. 
Rev.  John  Norton  was  ordained  as  Mr.  Hobart's  successor  in  the 
pastorate,  Nov.  27,  1678,  Mr.  Hobart  taking  part  in  the  services.  At 
the  expiration  of  one  year  from  the  death  of  Mr.  Hobart,  January 
19,  1679-80,  the  town  "agreed  to  build  a  new  meetinghouse  with 
all  convenient  speed,"  and  appointed  a  committee  consisting  of  Capt. 
Joshua  Hobart,  Capt.  John  Jacob  and  Ensign  John  Thaxter,  to  view 
the  meeting-houses  of  other  towns,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  an 
opinion  of  the  dimensions  of  a  building  necessary  to  accommodate 
the  inhabitants,  to  ascertain  the  probable  expense,  and  to  report  at 
the  next  town  meeting,  to  be  held  in  May  following. 

At  the  same  meeting,  the  Selectmen  were  ordered,  by  vote  to 
provide  a  new  bell  for  the  use  of  the  town  at  the  meeting-house  and 
"  they  are  to  get  one  as  big  againe  as  the  old  one  was.  if  it  may  lie  had." 

On  the  third  of  .May,  1680,  the  Selectmen  were  directed  to  "carry 
on  the  business  to  effect  about  building  a  new  meeting-house,"  and  at 
the  same  meeting  it  was  voted  "  to  have  the  new  meeting-house  set 
up,  in  the  place  where  the  old  one  doth  now  stand."  The  names  of 
those  who  voted  on  this  Iasf  question  are  recorded  in  the  Town 
Records.  There  were  thirty-four  in  the  affirmative,  and  eleven  in 
the  uegative. 


■ 


21 


The  following  from  the  Town  Records  shows  the  state  of  the  vote 


At  the  above  said  Town  Meeting,  on  the  third  day  of  May,  1680,  these  persons, 
whose  names  are  under  written,  declared  themselves,  by  word,  to  have  the  new 
meeting  house  set  up  in  the  place  where  the  old  one  doth  now  stand. 


Captain  Joshua  Hobart, 
John  Beale,  Senior, 
Deacon  John  Leavitt, 
Thomas  Hobart, 
Andrew  Lane, 
Thomas  Gill,  Senior, 
John  Beale, 
Edward  Wilder, 
Doctor  Cutler, 
Ensign  John  Thaxter, 
Thomas  Lincoln, (husband- 
man), 


Nathaniel  Beale,  Senior, 

Edmund  Pitts, 

Joshua  Lincoln, 

Thomas  Marsh, 

Erancis  James, 

Stephen  Lincoln, 

Moses  Collier, 

John  Prince, 

John  Langlee, 

Joshua  Beale, 

Thomas  Lincoln, (carpenter) 

Caleb  Beal, 


James  Hersee, 
Thomas  Andrews, 
Joseph  Joy, 
William  Hersee, 
Matthias  Brigs, 
John  Chubbuck, 
Josiah  Lane, 
Robert  Waterman, 
Matthew  W  hi  ton, 
Serjant  Daniel  Lincoln, 
Samuel  Stowell. 


At  the  said  Town  Meeting,  these  persons  whose  names  are  under  written 
declared  themselves  to  be  against  the  new  Meeting  House  standing  in  the  place 
where  the  old  one  do  stand. 


Daniel  Cashing,  Senior, 
Simon  Burr,  Senior, 
Nathaniel  Baker, 
Joseph  Jacob, 


Humphrey  Johnson, 
Captain  John  Jacob, 
Serjant  Matthew  Cushin* 
James  Whiton. 


Ibrook  Tower, 
Lieutenant  John  Smith, 
Jeremiah  Beal,  Senior. 


On  the  11th  of  August,  1680,  the  dimensions  of  the  house  were 
fixed  by  the  town  as  follows :  length  fifty-five  feet,  breadth  forty-live 
feet,  and  the  height  of  the  posts  "  twenty  or  one  and  twenty  feet," 
with  galleries  on  one  side  and  at  both  ends. 

In  1681,  May  2,  the  town  approved  of  what  the  Selectmen  hud  done 
in  relation  to  the  building  of  the  new  Meeting-house  and  the  place 
where  it  was  to  be  set.  Thirty-seven  persons  dissented  from  this  vote. 
These  transactions  were  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  Governor  and 
magistrates  who  interposed  their  authority  as  will  be  seen  by  the 
following  copies  of  papers  in  the  archives  of  the  State. 


22 


FROM  THE  STxlTE  ARCHIVES. 

Boston,  May  16th,  1681. 

The  Governo1"  and  Magistrates  having  considered  the  prsent  motions  in 
Hingham  relating  to  the  placing  of  a  New  meeting  house  and  also  perceiving  hy 
Information  of  the  Hond  Wm-  Stoughton  and  Joseph  Dudley  Esqrs  who  were 
desired  to  view  the  place  of  the  present  House  (which  is  judged  to  be  inconvenient 
by  them  J  do  therefore  hereby  disallow  of  the  setting  up  of  a  New  meeting  house 
either  in  the  old  place  or  in  the  plaine.  And  do  further  order  that  a  new  meeting 
of  all  persons  in  the  Towne  who  have  right  to  vote  in  such  cases  be  speedily 
ordered  at  which  it  may  be  fairly  voted  where  to  place  the  new  meeting  house  and 
the  Selectmen  are  hereby  required  to  make  a  speedy  returne  of  the  number  of  votes 
to  the  Honrd  Governo1- 

JNO.  HULL,  pr  order. 
Superscribed  to  the  Selectmen 
of  Hingham,  to  be  comunicated 
to  the  Towne. 

At  a  Towne  meeting  holden  at  Hingham  on  the  24th  day  of  May  1681 
Thomas  Andrews  was  Chosen  moderator  of  that  meeting  and  at  the  said  meeting 
the  vote  passed  by  papers,  with  seventy-three  hands  for  the  new  meeting  house 
that  is  now  building  in  Hingham  to  be  set  in  the  convenicntest  place  in  Captainc 
Hobarts  land  next  or  nearest  to  Samuell  Thaxters  house. 

As  Attest,  DANIELL  CUSI1ING,  Towne  Clarke. 


2b  May,  1681. 

The  magis*8  having  Considered  the  Returne  of  the  Selectmen  of  Hingham  in 
refferenc  to  the  voate  for  setling  the  meeting  house  there  Doe  Approove  of  said 
vote  and  Judge  mecte  all  Circumstances  considered  that  the  new  meeting  house  he 
errected  accordingly  in  the  convenientest  place  in  Cap*-  Hubbardsland  neerest  to 

Samuell  Thaxte's  house. 

I 'a  I   by  yc   Council, 

EDWD  RAWSQN,  Secret- 


Thus  after  a  controversy  of  more,  than  one  year,  the  location  of 
the  proposed  new  house  was  finally  settled;  and  immediate  measure:; 
won-  taken   to  carry  the  votes  of  the  town  into  effect. 


23 


THE  SECOND  MEETING-HOUSE. 


On  the  eighth  day  of  July,  1681,  Capt.  Joshua  Hobart  conveyed 
to  the  Town  by  deed  of  gift,  the  site  for  the  Meeting-house.  It  is 
the  same  on  which  the  Meeting-house  now  stands. 


DEED    OF    THE     LOT. 


TO  ALL  CHRISTIAN  PEOPLE  to  whom  these  Presents  shall  come, 
Cap*-  Joshua  Hohart  of  Hingham  of  the  County  of  SufTolke  in  New  England 
Sendeth  Greeting : 

Know  Yee  that  I  the  aforesd  Captain  Joshua  Hobart,  as  well  for  the  respect  that 
I  bear  unto  the  Inhabitants  of  the  sd  Town  of  Hingham  &  other  good  causes  and 
considerations  me  at  this  present  especially  moving  have  given  granted,  alienated 
assigned  and  confirmed  and  by  these  Presents  doe  fully  freely  and  absolutely  give 
grant  alien  assign  and  confirm  unto  the  Inhabitants  of  the  sd  Town  of  Hingham 
and  their  heirs  and  successors  forever  A  peice  or  parcel  of  land  for  to  erect  and  sett 
a  new  meeting  house  upon  of  that  lott  of  land  which  I  lately  purchased  of  Cap  *• 
John  Thaxtcr  of  sd  Hingham,  which  sd  granted  piece  or  parcel  of  land  lyeth  on 
the  front  of  said  lott  and  being  in  breadth  upon  the  front  one  hundred  &  fifty  foot 
and  in  the  rear  one  hundred  &  fifty  foot  and  in  depth  one  hundred  and  sixteen 
foot,  as  it  is  lying  &  being  within  the  Township  of  sd  Hingham  butting  &  bounded 
southwestward  with  the  Town  Street  that  leadeth  from  the  old  meeting  house 
toward  the  Plain  and  southeastward  with  the  house  lott  of  Samuel  Thaxter  &  with 
the  remainder  of  the  above  sd  house  lott  northwestward  &  northeastward.  Together 
with  all  and  singular  the  libertys  and  privilidges  belonging  unto  the  sd  granted 
premisses.  And  also  all  my  right  title  and  interest  estate  use  propriety  claim  or 
demand  of  in  or  to  the  sd  granted  premisses  with  their  libertys  and  privilidges.  To 
have  and  to  hold  the  said  hereby  granted  peice  or  parcel  of  land  for  to  erect  and 
sett  a  new  meetinghouse  upon,  of  that  sd  lott  of  land  and  lately  purchased  of 
sd  Cap*-  John  Thaxter  and  being  one  hundred  &  fifty  foot  in  breadth  aforesd  on  the 
front  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  foot  in  sd  rear  &  one  hundred  and  sixteen  foot  in 
sd  depth  &  lying  in  Hingham  aforesd  &  bounded  as  aforesd  with  all  and  singular 
the  libertys  and  privilcdges  to  the  sd  granted  premisses  unto  the  sd  Inhabitants  and 
unto  the  sole  and  proper  use  and  behoofc  of  them  the  s(1  Inhabitants  of  ^,l  Hingham 
their  heirs  and  successors  forever.  And  I  the  sd  Cap*-  Joshua  Hobart  for  myself 
my  heirs  executors  admrs  and  assigns  doe  by  these  presents  covenant  promise  grant 
and  agree  to  and  with  the  sd  Inhabitants  and  their  heirs  and  successors  in  manner 
and  form  as  followeth,  that  is  to  say,  that  they  the  s(1  Inhabitants  of  -,l  Hingham 


24 


and  their  heirs  and  successors  shall  and  may  hy  force  and  vertue  of  these  presents 
from  time  to  time  and  at  all  times  forever  hereafter  lawfully  peaceably  and  quietly 
have  hold  use  possess  and  enjoy  all  the  above  granted  premises  with  their  libertys 
and  privilidges  without  any  rents  acknowledgments  or  other  dues  or  dutys  to  be 
yielded  paid  or  done  unto  me  the  sd  Cap1-  Joshua  Hobart  my  heirs  executors  admrs 
or  assigns  forever.  And  also  that  the  sd  granted  premisses  are  free  and  clear  and 
freely  and  clearly  acquitted  exonerated  and  discharged  of  and  from  all  and  all 
manner  of  other  bargains  sales  gifts  grants  dowers  and  title  of  dowers  and  all 
other  incumbrances  whatsoever  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  unto  the  day  of 
the  ensealing  and  delivery  of  these  presents.  And  shall  and  will  warrant  the 
sd  granted  premisses  forever  agr  me  the  sd  Cap1- Joshua  Hobart  my  heirs  exers 
admrs  or  assigns  or  any  other  person  or  persons  claiming  or  pretending  to  claim 
any  lawfull  right  title  or  interest  in  or  to  the  sd  granted  premisses  or  any  part 
thereof  from  by  or  under  me  the  sd  Cap1-  Joshua  Hobart.  In  witnesse  whereof 
I  the  sd  Joshua  Hobart  have  hereunto  sett  my  hand  and  seal  this  eighth  day  of 
July  Anno  Domini  Sixteen  hundred  eighty  and  one,  Anno  Regni  Regis  Caroli 
Secundi  XXXIII  Joshua  Hobart  Senr  &  a  seal  Signed  scaled  &  delivered  in  the 
presence  of  us  witnesses  Daniel  Cushing  Senr  John  Thaxter  Em  Pitts  Nathan el 
Beale  Selectmen  of  the  *sd  Hingham.  Upon  the  3d  of  May  1692  Mr-  Daniel 
Cushing  and  Nathaniel  Beals  appearing  before  me  made  oath  that  they  were 
personally  present  &  saw  Cap*-  Joshua  Hobart  perfix  his  hand  and  seal  to  this  above 
written  instrum*  and  sett  their  hands  as  witnesses  to  the  same  and  that  at  the  same 
time  John  Thaxter  and  Edmund  Pitts  also  sett  their  hands  as  witnesses.  Sworn 
before  me  John  Smith  Assist*- 

Novr  25th  1703.     Received  and  accordingly  Entred  and  Examined 

p.  Addington  Davenport  Rcgist1"- 


The  frame  of  the  Meeting-house  was  raised  on  the  2Gth,  27th  and 
28th  days  of  July,  1681,  and  the  house  was  completed  and  opened 
for  public  worship  January  8,  1G81-2.  It  cost  the  town  £430  and 
the  old  house. 

A  rate  had  been  made  in  October,  1G80,  to  defray  the  expense  of 
the  building.  We  are  able  to  present  the  following  copy  of  it, 
preserved  in  the  handwriting  of  Daniel  Cushing,  Town  Clerk. 


25 


THE    RATE    OF    1680, 
"for  the  building  of  a  new  meeting-house. 


5  > 


A  Rate  made  the  ninth  Day  of  October  1680  by  the  Selectmen  of  the  Towne  of 

Hingham  for  the  building  of  a  new  meeting  house  in  Hingham. 

£  s.  d. 

Imprimis  Captaine  Joshua  Hobart 01  00  00 

Nathaniel!  Beale  Junior 01  04  00 

Mathew  Witon 01  04  00 

William  Woodcock 02  03  09 

Josiah  Loreing 03  17  01 

Thomas  Andrewes 07  10  05 

Captaine  John  Thaxter 07  08  04 

Edmond  Pitts 03  10  00 

Samuell  Lincolne  Senior 01  08  04 

Samuell  Lincolne  Junior 01  10  00 

Mordicay  Lincolne 01  04  00 

Enoch  Hobart 06  18  04 

John  Chubbuck 07  01  08 

John  Tucker 04  15  00 

Benjamin  Lincolne 04  08  04 

Israeli  flfering 03  00  00 

John  ffering 03  04  02 

Edmond  Hobart 01  00  10 

Daniell  Hobart 01  02  06 

John  Record 01  00  00 

Samuell  Hobart,  promised 01  05  00 

Thomas  Gill  Junior 01  05  00 

Thomas  Gill  Senior 05  12  06 

Samuell  Gill 

Dauid  Hobart 01  10  00 

Josiah  Lane 03  16  08 

Thomas  Marsh 02  06  08 

Ephraim  Marsh 01  05  00 

Jacob  Beale 02  03  04 

Ephraim  Lane 04  12  00 

John  Lane,  Carpenter Q 1  03  04 

Thomas  Lincolne,  Cooper 03  14  02 

George  Lane 06  06  08 

Thomas  Hobart 04  14  07 

Moses  Collier 02  10  10 

Joshua  Lincolne 04  02  06 

Tbomas  Lincolne,  husbandman 07  12  06 

Caleb  Lincolne 01  00  00 

Serjant  Daniell  Lincolne 04  00  00 

Ephraim   Nicolls 04  10  00 

Thomas  Lincolne,  Carpenter 03  18  00 

4 


2G 


here  followeth  more  of  the  Rate  for  building  the  meeting  house. 

C 

Henry  Ward 01 

Robert  Waterman 02 

Samuell  Stowell  Senior 06 

John  Stowell,  promised 01 

Dauid  Stowell 01 

Joshua  Beale 03 

Caleb  Beale 03 

John  Lang-lee 01 

Timothy  Ilewet 01 

Israeli  Nicolls 02 

Thomas  Nicolls 02 

James  Hersee 07 

William  Hersee 14 

John  Hersee  promised  or  freely  giuen 01 

Elizabeth  Hewet  widow 01 

John  Beale  Senior 00 

John  Beale  Junior 04 

Steuen.Lincolne 03 

Simon  Gross 01 

Daniell  Lincolne  Junior 02 

Richard  Wood 01 

Samuell  Bate 01 

Docter  Cutler 01 

William  Hersee  Junior  promised 01 

Arthur  Caine 01 

Joseph  Bate 02 

Nathaniell  Beal  Senior 01 

James  Garnet  giuen  freely 01 

Joshua  Hobart  mariner 01 

John  Low 01 

John  Garnet  promised 01 

ffrancis  Garnet  promised 01 

George  Russell 01 

John  Lewis 01 

1  )aniell  Stodder 02 

Samuell   Stodder 01 

Samuell  Thaxter 02 

Joseph  J<>y  promised 01 

Jeremiah  Beale  blacksmith 01 

Andrew  Lane 01 

John   Mayo 01 

John  Prince 06 

Peter  Barns 03 

Daniell  Cushing  Senior 15 

Daniell  Cushing  Junior 01 


s. 

d. 

16 

08 

18 

*  04 

10 

00 

05 

00 

00 

00 

08 

04 

03 

09 

05 

10 

00 

00 

15 

00 

08 

04 

06 

08 

05 

00 

10 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

13 

07 

14 

02 

04 

00 

15 

00 

00 

00 

16 

03 

10 

00 

04 

00 

00 

00 

19 

02 

13 

04 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

05 

00 

05 

00 

07 

06 

00 

00 

03 

01 

11 

03 

15 

05 

10 

00 

10 

10 

16 

08 

04 

08 

08 

04 

16 

08 

12 

06 

04 

00 

27 

more  of  the  rate  for  building  the  meeting  house. 

£ 

Matthias  Briggs 01 

John  Manfield  Junior  promised 01 

John  Manfield  Senior 04 

Nathaniell  Baker 08 

James  Bate  Senior 03 

Benjamin  Bate 01 

Joseph  Bate  Sone  of  James  Bate 01 

Serjant  Jeremiah  Beale 05 

Purthee  Mackfarlin 04 

John  ffarrow  Junior. . . .' 02 

John  ffarrow  Senior  &  Nathan  ffarrow 02 

Josiah  Leauitt 02 

Israeli  Leauitt 01 

Deacon  John  Leauitt 07 

Joseph  fford 01 

Thomas  Sayer 03 

Simon  Burr  Senior 04 

Simon  Burr  Junior 01 

Cornelius  Cantlberry 07 

Cornet  Mathew  Cushing 09 

Anthony  Sprague 06 

Joseph  Jones  Senior 05 

Joseph  Jones  Junior 00 

William  Spragne 04 

Robert  Jones 01 

John  Lazell 05 

Joshua  Lazell 01 

Steuen  Lazell 01 

Abraham  Riply 05 

Lieutenant  John  Smith 11 

Mathew  Hawke 06 

ffrancis  James 04 

John  Riply  Senior 05 

John  Riply  Junior  promised 01 

Joshua  Riply  promised 01 

John  Bull 01 

Ibrook  Tower 01 

John  Stodder 01 

John  Tower  Senior 02 

Edward  Wilder 07 

Ephraim  Wilder 01 

John  Wilder 01 

Captaine  John  Jacob 12 

Joseph  Jacob 03 


s. 

d. 

00 

00 

04 

00 

10 

00 

07 

11 

02 

06 

00 

00 

00 

00 

19 

02 

00 

00 

14 

07 

11 

03 

00 

00 

10 

05 

13 

04 

08 

04 

00 

10 

18 

04 

05 

00 

10 

00 

05 

00 

06 

08 

06 

08 

05 

00 

09 

00 

10 

00 

18 

09 

00 

00 

00 

00 

14 

05 

14 

02 

02 

00 

06 

08 

06 

03 

00 

00 

00 

00 

04 

00 

10 

00 

04 

00 

17 

06 

09 

02 

06 

08 

00 

00 

17 

11 

13 

00 

28 


more  of  the  rate  for  building  the  meeting  house. 

£ 

Samuell  Bacon 01 

Peter  Bacon 03 

Humphry  Johnson 03 

James  Witon  Senior 08 

James  Witon  Junior  promised 01 

John  Tower  Junior  promised 01 

William  Hiliard 01 

Charles  Stockbridge  of  Scittuate 01 

Robert  Dunbarr 02 

Nathaniell  Chubbuck 03 

John  Sprague 01 

Benjamin  Johnson 01 

William  ffisher  promised 01 

the  totall  sum  436 


s. 

d. 

04 

00 

06 

08 

11 

08 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

00 

08 

00 

00 

00 

03 

04 

00 

00 

10 

00 

05 

00 

00 

00 

14 


11 


This  is  a  true  Copy  of  the  originall  rate 
Testee  Danicll  dishing  Clarke 


Joshua  Hobart 
John  Thaxter 
Edmond  Pitts 
Nathaniell  Beale 
Daniell  Cushing 


Selectmen 


29 


SEATING  OF  THE  PEOPLE  IX  THE 
NEW  MEETING-HOUSE. 


We  are  able  to  present  a  copy  of  a  private  record  made  by 
Daniel  Cushing,  Town  Clerk,  which  has  fortunately  come  into  the 
possession  of  the  Committee,  and  which  shows  to  whom  seats  were 
assigned  in  the  new  Meeting-house,  in  compliance  with  a  vote  of  the 
Town  at  the  first  Town  meeting  held  in  the  new  house,  and  before  it 
was  opened  for  public  worship. 

From  Daniel  Cushing' s  Manuscripts. 


"Att  a  Towne  meeting  holden  at  Hingham  on  the  fift  day  of  January  1681 
Mr  John  Norton  our  pastor  &  the  two  deacons  (viz)  John  Leauit  &  John  Smith, 
Captaine  John  Thaxter,  Nathaniell  Beale  Senior,  Serjant  Thomas  Andrews, 
Cornet  Mathew  Cushing  &  Ensigne  Jeremiah  Beale  were  Chosen  by  the  Towne  to 
order  the  Seating  of  ye  people  of  the  Towne  in  the  new  meeting  house  in  Ilingham 
&  to  doe  it  presently  with  all  Convenient  speed  that  they  can  possible,  it  being  the 
first  Towne  meeting  that  was  in  the  new  meeting  house,  on  the  eight  day  of  said 
January  was  the  first  Sabboth  day  that  the  people  of  Hingham  met  in  the  new 
meeting  house  to  worship  god,  &  Israeli  Nicolls  the  son  of  Israeli  Nicolls  & 
Hannah  beale  the  Daughter  of  Jeremiah  Beale  were  the  first  Children  that  were 
baptized  in  the  said  meeting  house  which  was  on  the  said  eight  of  January." 

The  record  of  the  doings  of  the  Committee  above  named  "  is  as 
followeth :" 


30 


In  the   Deacons  Seate. 

Deacon  John  Leauitt 
Deacon  John  Smith 
Mathew  Hawks 


In  the   seate  under  ye  pulpit. 

John  Beale  Senior 
Thos-  Lincoln,  Coop 
George  Russell 
George  Lane 
John  Tower  Senior 


In  the  foreseate  in  the  body  of 
the  Meeting  house  for  the 

MEN. 

Captaine  Joshua  Hobart 
Daniel  Cushing  Senior 
Nathaniel  Baker 
Doctor  John  Cutler 
Edmond  Hobart 
Thomas  Hobart 
Thomas  Lincoln,  husbad 
William  Hearsey  Senior 


In  the  second  seate. 

Edmond  Pitts 
Nathaniel  Beale  Senior 
Edward  Wilder 
Humphry  Johnson 
Thomas  Gill  Senior 
Thomas  Nicolls 
John  Ripley  Senior 
James  Witon  Senior 


In  the  third  seate. 

John  Manfield  Senior 
James  Hates  Senior 
John  Tucker 
Cornelius  Cantlbcny 
Simon  Burr  Senior 
John  Lazell 
(Francis  James 
Caleb  Beales 


In  the  fourth  seate. 

Abraham  Ripley  Senior 
Antony  Sprague 
Joseph  Jones  Senior 
Benjamin  Lincolne 
Moses  Collier 
Samuel  Lincolne  Senior 
William  Woodcock 
Israeli  fferring 
Josiah  Lane 


In  the  fift  seate. 

Nathaniel  Chubb uck 
Samuel  Stoder 
William  Sprague 
Jacob  Beale 
Joseph  Joy  Senior 
John  ffarrow  Junior 
Andrew  Lane 
Robert  Waterman 
Peter  Barns 


In  the  sixt  seate. 

Peter  Bacon 

Daniel  Lincoln  Junior 

William  Hillard 

Ibrook  Tower 

John  Bull 

Nathaniel  Beales  Junior 

Samuel  Hobart 

James  Witon  Junior 


The  seuenth  seate. 

Simon  Gross 
John  Wilder 
Daniel  Hobart 
Joshua  Lazell 
Arthur  Cain 


31 


The  foreseate  for  the  men  ox 
the  north  side  of  the  meet- 
ing house. 

Robert  Jones 

John  Prince 

John  ffarrow  Senior  &  Nathan 

Mathias  Briggs 

Samuel  Stowell  Senior 

The   second   seate. 
John  Stodder 
Henry  Ward 
Samuel  Bates 
Daniel  Stodder 
Purthe  Mackfarlin 

In  the  third  seate. 

John  Sprague 
James  Witon  Junior 
John  Tower  Junior 
Thomas  Jewell 

The  fourth  seate. 
John  Records 
Benjamin  Tower 
Paul  Gilford 
John  Low 
ffrancis  Garnet 

In  the  pew. 

Mrs  Hobart 
Mrs  Norton 

In  the  first  seate  next  yf  pew. 

Captaine  Hobarts  wife 
L'tenent  Smiths  wife 
Deacon  John  Leauitts  wife 
John  Riplys  wife 

In  the  second  seate. 
Thos  Lincolne  malsters  wife 
old  widdow  Andrewes 
George  Russells  wife 
widdow  Sprague 
Edward  Wilders  wife 
widow  Lane 
James  Bates  wife 
widow  Joy 


3  In  the  third  seate.     John  ffarrow 

Senior  his  wife 
widow  Barns 
the  wife  of  Robert  Jones 
The  wife  of  John  Tower  senior 
widow  Lincolne 
the  wife  of  Moses  Collier 
The  wife  of  William  Woodcock 

4  In   the  fourth  seate  the  wife  of 

Robert  Dunbar 
the  wife  of  John  Sprague 
the  wife  of  John  Stodder 
the  wife  of  Daniel  Stodder 
the  wife  of  Samuel  Stodder 
the  wife  of  Purthe  Mackfarlin 
the  widow  Hewet 

5  In    the    fift    seate    the  wife  of 

John  Lane  Sboomaker 
the  wife  of  John  Dunbar 
the  wife  of  Paul  Gilford 
the  wife  of  Thomas  Jewell 
the  wife  of  John  Low 
The  wife  of  Benjamin  Tower 

In  the  seates  for  the  women  in 
in  the  body  of  the  meeting 
house. 

1  foreseate  Nathaniel  Bakers  wife 
the  wife  of  Daniel  Cushing  Senior 
the  wife  of  Mathew  Hawks 

the  wife  of  Tho8   Lincoln  husband- 
man 
the  wife  of  George  Lane 
the  wife  of  Thomas  Hobart 
the  wife  of  William  Hearsey  Senior 
widow  Deborah  Tarlton 

2  In  the  second  seate  the  wife  of 

Edmond  Pitts 
the  wife  of  Nathaniel  Bealc  Senior 
the  wife  of  Ensigne  Jeremiah  Beale 
the  wife  of  Thomas  Andrewes 
the  wife  of  John  Manficld 
the  wife  of  James  Witon  Senior 
the  wife  of  Humphry  Johnson 
the  wife  of  John  Prince 
the  wife  of  Daniel  Lincoln  Senior 


32 


In   THE   THIRD   SEATE,    the   wife  of 

Mathias  Briggs 
John  Beales  wife 
the  wife  of  Cornelius  Cantlberry 
the  wife  of  Simon  Burr 
the  wife  of  John  Tucker 
the  wife  of  Joshua  Beales 
the  wife  of  Steuen  Lincolne 
the  wife  of  Samuel  Stowell 
the  wife  of  Caleb  Beales 


In  the  fourth  seate  for  the 
women  in  the  body  of  the 
meeting  house 


4  The 
The 
The 
The 

The 
The 
The 
The 
The 
The 


wife  of 
wife  of 
wife  of 
wife  of 
wife  of 
wife  of 
wife  of 
wife  of 
wife  of 
wife  of 


John  Lazell 
Antony  Sprague 
Joseph  Jones 
ffrancis  James 
Abraham  Riply 
Samuel  Lincoln 
Benjamin  Lincoln 
Peter  Barns 
Israeli  ffering 
Josia  Loreing 


In  the  seuenth  seate. 
1     The  widdow  Tower 
The  wife  of  John  Wilder 
The  wife  of  Simon  Gross 
The  wife  of  John  Tower  Junior 
The  wife  of  Daniel  Hobart 
The  wife  of  Joshua  Lazell 
The  wife  of  ffrancis  Garnet 
The  wife  of  Arthur  Cain 

Maids  for  te  foreseat  below 
in  yb  east  end,  Ruth  Bates 
Mary  Stowell        Rachell  Gill 


In  the  fift  seate 

The  wife  of  Thomas  Nicolls 

The  wife  of  Samuel  Thaxter 

The  wife  of  Nathaniel  Chubbuck 

The  wife  of  Joseph  Joy 

The  wife  of  John  ffarrow 

The  wife  of  Jacob  Beales 

The  wife  of  Andrew  Lane 

The  wife  of  Jeremiah  Beale  Junior 


In  the  bixt  skate 

Josiah  Lanes  wife 
The  wife  of  Henry  Ward 
The  wife  of  William  Sprague 
The  wife  of  William  Hillard 
The  wife  of  [brook  Tower 
The  wife  of  John  Bull 

The  wife  of  Mathew   Witoll 

The  wife  of -John  Langlee 


Mary  Garnet 
Mary  Lincoln 
Jemime  Tower 


Elizabeth  Cantlberry 
Mary  Lazell 
Remember  Stowell 


The  daughter  of  ffrancis  James 
Patience  Nicolls  Hester  Bates 
Henry  Wards  daughter 

Seats  for  the  women  on  the 
gallary  at  the  east  end  with 
a  part  of  the  gallary  on  the 
south  side  as  followeth — 

Captaine  John  Thaxtcrs  wife 

Cornet  Mathew  Cushings  wife 

Captaine  John  Jacobs  wife 

Doctor  John  Cutlers  wife 

John  Chubbucks  wife 

James  Herseys  wife 

The  wife  of  Joshua  Hobart,  Mariner 

The  wife  of  Joshua  Lincoln 

Thewifcof  Thomas  Lincoln  Carpenter 

The  wife  of  Enoch  Hobart 

The  wife  of  Dauid  Hobart 

The  wife  of  John  Smith 

The  wife  of  John  ffering 

The  wife  of  Joseph  Jacob 

The  wife  of  Israeli  Leauitt 

The  wife  of  Daniel  Gushing  Junior 

The  wife  of  Josiah  Leauitt 

The  wife  of  James  Hawks 

The  wife  of  John  Mayo 

The  wife  of  Thomas  Gill 

The  wife  of  John  Hearsey 

The  wife  of  Thomas  Saver 

Tin-  wife  o!'  Thomas  Marsh 

The  wife  of  Ephraim  Nicolls 

The  wife  of  John  Lewes 

The  wife  of  Israeli  Nicolls 


33 


The  second  seate  in  the  GAL- 
LARY FOR  WOMEN  IN  THE 
SOUTH  SIDE  OF  THE  MEETING 
HOUSE. 

Robert  Watermans  wife 
Nathaniel  Beales  Junior  his  wife 
The  wife  of  Daniel  Lincoln  Junior 
The  wife  of  Peter  Barns 

In  the  second  seate  in  the 
gallary  at  ye  west  end 
more  of  the  young  men. 

Joseph  Bate  son  of  James  bate 
Joseph  Bate  son  of  Joseph  Bate 
Benjamin  Bate 
Timothy  Hewet 
John  Garnet 
Enoch  Witon 
James  Garnet 
Joseph  Jones 

The  second  seate  on  the  gal- 
laky  AT  THE  EAST  END  OF  THE 
HOUSE  FOR  YE   MAIDS. 

Abigail  Hobart,  Lydia  Hobart, 

Hannah  Hobart,  Mary  Leauitt, 

Jaell  Jacob,  Hannah  Hawks, 

Ruth  Andrewes,  Susanna  Beales, 

Mary  Thaxter,  Rebekah  Hersey, 

Elizabeth  Lincoln,  Hannah  Leauitt, 

Hannah  Lincoln,  Ruth  Lincoln, 

Mary  Beales,  Mary  Witon, 

Elizabeth  Jacob,  Mary  Beales, 

Sarah  Steuens,  Mary  Riply, 

Mary  Cantlberry,  Jane  Loreing, 
Elizabeth  Andrewes,Mary  Lincoln, 
Steuen  Lincolns  Daughter, 
Patience  Jones. 

The  second  seate  in  the  front 
gallary  for  young  men. 

Thomas  Thaxter 
Caleb  Lincoln 
Ephraim  Wilder 
Samuel  Lincoln  Junior 
5 


Joseph   Lincoln 

"William  Hersey  Junior 

Nehemiah  Leauitt 

Benjamin  Johnson 

Nathan  narrow 

Ephraim  Lane 

John  Beale,  son  of  Jeremy  beale 

Joseph  Ford 

Mordecai  Lincoln 

Simon  Burr 

The  second  seate  in  ye  gallary 
at  ye  west  end  for  young  men. 

Tho  Lincoln  Junior 
Ephraim  Marsh 
Theophilus  Cushing 
Ebenezer  Lane 
John  Riply  Junior 
Samuell  Stowell  Junior 
John  Hearsey 
Steuen  Lazell 
John  Manfield  Junior 
Samuell  Gill 
Isaac  Wilder 
John  Stowell 
Dauid  Stowell 
John  Lewes 
Joshua  Riply 
Joseph  Loreing 

The  foreseate  on  the  gallary 
on  the  south  side  of  the 
meeting  house,  for  .men. 

Capt.  John  Thaxter 
Captaine  John  Jacob 
Cornet  Mathew  Cushing 

Ensigne  Jeremiah  Beales 

Thomas  Andrewes 

Joshua  Beales 

John  Chubbuck 

Thomas  Lincoln,  carpenter 

Josiah  Loreing 

Jani,-.>  Hearsey 

Joshua  Hobart,  mariner 

Joshua  Lincoln 

Dauid  Hobart 

John  Smith 


34 


The   end   gallaky   for  men  at 
the  west  end  of  the  meeting 

HOUSE. 

Daniel  Lincoln  Senior 
John  Beales  Junior 
Steuen  Lincoln 
Joseph  Bates 
Samuel  Thaxter 
Enoch  Hohart 
Joseph  Jacob 
John  ffering 
Thomas  Sayer 
John  Hearsey 
Thomas  Marsh 
Thomas  Gill  Junior 
Israeli  Leauitt 
James  Hawk 
Daniel  dishing  Junior 
Josiah  Leauitt 


Ephraim  Nicolls 

Jeremiah  Beale,  blacksmith 

Israel  Nicolls 

John  Lane,  carpenter 

John  Mayo 

John  Langlee 

In  THE  3  SEATE  IN  THE  FRONT 
GALLARY. 

Jabez  Wilder,        John  Burr, 
Nathaniel  Nicolls,  Mathew  Cushing, 
Benjamin  Jones,    Lazarus  Beale, 
James  Ray,  James  Horsey, 

Thomas  Loreing,  Moses  Hohart, 
Joseph  Jones  Junior, 
Thomas  Andrewes 
Daniel  Lincoln  Junior, 
Dauid  Jacob, 
Samuel  Thaxter. 


The  foregoing  list  is  of  exceeding  interest.  We  can  see  in  it,  at  a 
glance,  those  to  whom  seats  were  assigned  in  the  new  Meeting-house 
and  who  were  contemporaries.  It  embraces  a  large  number  of  the 
first  settlers  of  the  town,  whose  descendants  to  several  generations, 
and  for  nearly  two  centuries,  have  gathered  for  public  worship  under 
the  same  roof. 

This  list  gives  almost  a  complete  census  of  the  town  in  its  original 
limits.  There  were  men  among  them  who  knew  the  Pilgrims  of 
Plymouth  ;  and  it  is  a  pleasant  thought  that  some  of  the  Pilgrims 
probably  attended  public  worship  in  the  new  Meeting-house,  and 
listened  to  the  preaching  of  Rev.  John  Norton.  There  were  men 
there  who  had  suffered  in  person  and  estate  from  the  depredations  of 
the  Indians,  and  some  who  bore  arms  in  the  war  against  Philip  of 
Pokanoket,  and  were  present  in  the  great  Nanaganset  Fight,  in 
December,  1G75. 


35 


The  appearance  of  the  Meeting-house  itself,  when  completed,  must 
have  been  nearly  the  same  as  it  now  is,  and  of  which  the  View 
facing  the  Title  of  the  Appendix  gives  a  correct  idea. 

In  the  interior  there  were  galleries  on  one  side,  and  at  both  ends. 
The  pulpit  was  on  the  North  East  side  of  the  house.  There  was 
probably  no  plastering  upon  the  walls,  and  there  was  no  ceiling. 
The  whole  interior  was  open,  showing  the  old  oaken  rafters  and  braces 
which  supported  the  roof.  The  walls,  both  outside  and  inside,  were 
clapboarded.  The  seats  were  of  oak,  arranged  in  rows  or  sections  as 
indicated  by  the  "  Seating  of  the  House,"  and  there  appears  to  have 
been  one  pew,  which  was  occupied  by  the  widow  of  the  first 
minister  and  the  wife  of  the  second.  The  Deacons  also  had  their 
separate  seat.  Matthew  Hawke  was  permitted  to  occupy  a  seat  with 
them,  perhaps  to  facilitate  his  taking  down  in  short-hand  the  sermons 
of  the  preacher,  a  service  which  he  was  accustomed  to  perform. 

It  will  be  quite  an  interesting  problem  for  an  ingenious  antiquary 
to  solve, — to  arrange  the  seats  of  the  Meeting-house  as  they  were, — 
and  to  be  able  to  locate  the  occupants  in  their  proper  order  and 
position,  when  assembled  for  public  worship.  It  will  then  need  but 
a  slight  effort  of  the  imagination  to  picture  the  striking  scene. 

It  will  be  recollected,  that  the  town  at  this  time,  constituted  but 
one  parish,  and  so  continued  until  after  the  close  of  Mr.  Norton's 
ministry.  He  died  Oct.  3,  1716.  Before  that  date  and  so  early  as 
1713,  the  inhabitants  of  Cohasset  began  to  agitate  the  subject  of 
forming  a  second  precinct.  This  was  finally  accomplished,  and 
Cohasset  was  made  the  Second  Precinct  of  Hingham,  Nov.  21, 
1717.  Having  erected  a  Meeting-house  and  obtained  the  privileges 
of  a  parish,  Rev.  Nehemiah  Hobart  was  ordained  their  Pastor, 
Dec.  13,  1721. 

In  consequence  of  the  creation  of  the  Second  Precinct,  the 
remaining  inhabitants  of  Hingham  not  included  within  the  limits  of 
Cohasset,  composed  the  First  Parish  or  Precinct  and  organized  as 
such,  March  6,  1720-1.  From  that  date,  we  have  full  and  correct 
records  to  which  we  can  now  resort  for  much  of  the  subsequent  history 
of  our  Ancient  Meeting-house. 

The  building  of  a  new  Meetino-house  within  the  limits  of  the  town 
would  seem  to  have  relieved  the  pressure  for  room  in  the  old  house, 
but  the  contrary  appears  to  have  been  the  result.  From  the 
commencement  of  the  Parish  records,  to  1729,  there  appears  to  have 
been  constantly  agitated  the  question  of  increasing  the  accommo- 
dations of  the  worshippers.       Many  votes   were   passed,  at  various 


36 


meetings,  in  relation  to  building  pews ;  enlarging  the  galleries,  by 
bringing  them  forward  ;  extending  galleries  from  the  sides  to  the 
pulpit;  building  another  tier  of  galleries;  putting  pews  over  the 
stairs,  etc. :    none   of  which  seem   to  have  been  carried  into  effect. 

On  the  31st  day  of  March,  1729,  the  Parish  voted,  "That  there  be 
an  addition  made  to  the  back  part  of  the  Meeting  House  and  that 
the  same  do  not  exceed  fourteen  feet  wide  or  back."  This  enlarge- 
ment was  completed  during  that  or  the  following  year,  for  on  Aug. 
24th,  1730,  it  was  voted  "that  the  pulpit  should  be  moved  back  to 
the  northwardly  side  of  addition  to  the  meeting  house, — 39  to  35." 
The  cost  of  the  addition  was  £296,  lis.  Id.  Subsequently,  various 
votes  were  passed  in  relation  to  further  finishing  the  house. 

Jan.  19,  1731,  it  was  voted  that  "no  part  of  the  meeting  house 
should  be  pewed." 

In  May,  1731,  voted,  "That  the  remainder  part  of  the  meeting 
house  should  be  sealed  overhead  and  that  the  two  posts  standing 
in  the  fore  seats  should  be  wrought  into  a  suitable  form."  The 
cost  of  "sealing  overhead"  was  £121,  Is.  9c?.  In  March,  1731-2, 
"  That  there  should  be  a  new  belfry  erected  on  the  top  of  the  meeting 
house."— Cost,  £34,  14s.  Sd. 

We  have  found  in  the  Parish  records  the  following  votes : 

Sept.  1734.  The  Committee  to  see  to  putting  in  new  windows  "be 
and  are  hereby  further  impowered  to  clapboard  the  outside  of  the  same" 
(Meeting-house)  "where  they  shall  think  it  needful,  and  also  to  plastur6 
with  lime  so  much  of  the  inside  of  the  sa  house  where  it  is  now  clap- 
boarded  as  they  shall  think  proper."     £100  raised  to  defray  expense. 

March,  1739.  Permisssion  refused  Elijah  Beal  to  build  a  pew 
over  the  women's  gallery. 

May,  1740,  "Not  to  dispose  of  any  ground  in  the  meeting  house 
to  erect  pewes  on." 

June,  1752.  The  questidn  whether  the  Meeting-house  shall  be 
pewed  "in  any  method  whatsoever,"  passed  in  the  negative. 

March  12,  1755.  "  That  an  addition  be  made  and.  finished  at  the 
South  Southwest  end  of  this  house  fourteen  feet  in  length,  and  that 
all  proper  repairs  be  made  to  the  old  part  of  sa  house,  windows, 
glazing,  &c,  and  that  the  pulpit  be  removed  into  the  centre  of  the 
whole  length  when  the  addition  is  made  and  that  all  the  seats  be 
removed  agreeable  thereto  and  that  a  sutable  Bellfree  be  erected 
and  finished  on  the  top  of  (he  8d  house  and  that,  the  pew  ground 
proposed  in  ;i  plan  now  exhibited  by  Benjamin  Lincoln  he  disposed 
of  to  the  highest  bidders,  tor  the  payment  of  the  whole  cost." 


37 


A  committee  was  chosen  "  to  carry  on  and  finish  the  whole  of  ye , 
s'1  addition  and  repairs  as  soon  as  may  be." 

At  a  meeting  in  October.  1755.  among  other  votes  passed,  was  one 
"  not  to  build  a  new  Pulpit."  This  vote  was  reconsidered ;  and  a 
vote  passed  to  '"order  the  same  to  be  built."  The  Committee  on 
Repairs  was  "  impowered  to  cause  the  pewes  to  be  forthwith  erected." 

This  action  of  the  Parish  seems  to  have  hastened  the  work.  The 
house  was  enlarged  as  voted,  a  new  pulpit  constructed,  a  new  belfry 
erected  on  the  top  of  the  house,  and  the  pews  were  built,  viz. :  two 
rows  of  square  pews  on  all  sides  of  the  house,  excepting  the  spaces 
occupied  by  the  pulpit  and  the  aisles  leading  from  the  entrances,  and 
those  between  the  rows  of  pews.  There  was  a  pew  in  front  of  the 
pulpit,  known  as  the  elders  pew,  or  pew  for  elderly  men,  and  also  an 
enclosed  seat  or  pew  in  front  of  the  elders  pew,  facing  the  broad  aisle 
for  the  use  of  the  Deacons  of  the  church. 

The  central  space  or  body  of  the  house  was  filled  with  long  oaken 
seats,  for  the  occupancy  of  males,  on  one  side  of  the  broad  aisle,  and 
of  females  on  the  other.  These  seats  were  separated  from  the  pews 
by  aisles.  The  galleries  were  changed  and  located  as  they  now  are, 
oaken  seats  were  placed  in  them,  and  the  south-western  gallery 
assigned  to  males  and  the  north-eastern  gallery  to  females. 

The  pulpit  was  built  by  Ebenezer  Lincoln.  The  work  "  about  the 
pews,"  was  done  by  Elijah  Beal  and  two  boys,  (probably  his  appren- 
tices) Thomas  Joy,  Joseph  Stowers  and  Caleb  Bates.  They  were 
employed  nearly  all  the  time  from  the  first  of  November,  1755,  until 
the  middle  of  January,  1756. 

This  last  addition  to  the  Meeting-house  established  its  dimensions 
as  they  now  are,  viz :  seventy-three  feet,  by  fifty-five  feet. 

1756,  January  6.  At  a  Parish  meeting,  '-the  forward  pew  adjoining 
to  the  stairs  leading  up  to  the  pulpit"  was  reserved  for  the  use  of  the 
minister  and  his  family  for  the  time  being.  At  the  same  meeting, 
various  other  votes  were  passed  in  relation  to  the  sale  of  the  pews. 
The  Committee  on  Repairs  was  "impowered  to  determine  upon  a 
certain  sum  at  which  each  pew  should  be  put  up  at  in  the  s&le  of 
them  to  the  highest  bidders."  This  meeting  was  adjourned  to  the 
20th  of  January,  wdien  the  pews  were  sold  successfully,  "  Captain 
John  Thaxter  being  by  the  committee  appointed  Vendue  Master." 
A  full  account  of  the  sale  is  recorded  in  the  Parish  records. 

It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  the  strength  and  growth  of  the  Parish 
justified  and  required  this  enlarged  accommodation  for  the  use  of  the 
inhabitants  within  so  few  years  after  the  formation  of  a  new  Parish 


38 


embracing  in  its  limits  the  South  part  of  the  town.  The  subject  of 
establishing  a  new  Parish  was  proposed  so  early  as  1738,  and  was 
pursued  by  the  members  who  resided  in  that  section  of  the  town,  with  s 

great  zeal  and  ultimate  success.     The  Third  Parish  was  set  off  March  ^ 

25, 1745-6,  and  included  more  than  one-half  the  territory  of  the  whole 
Parish.  On  the  incorporation  of  Cohasset,  in  1770,  the  Third 
became  the  Second  parish  in  Binr/ham.  Their  first  minister,  Rev. 
David  Shute,  D.  D.,  was  ordained,  Dec.  10,  1746. 

The  separation  of  the  second  precinct,  (Cohasset,)  in  1717,  and  of 
the  third,  (South  Hingham,)  in  1745-6,  did  not  diminish  the  interest 
of  the  members  of  the  First  Parish  in  maintaining  their  old  house  of 
worship,  but  on  the  contrary,  in  both  instances,  gave  fresh  impulses  to 
enlarge  it  and  improve  its  condition.  Both  the  additions  were  made 
during  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Gay. 

From  1756  to  1791  no  further  changes  were  made  in  the  Meeting- 
house. In  1778,  March  23d,  it  was  voted  not  to  act  on  the  4th 
article  in  the  warrant,  which  was  to  see  if  the  Parish  would  dispose  of 
any  spot  in  the  Meeting-house  for  pews. 

In  1791,  at  a  meeting  in  March,  a  committee  of  nine  was  chosen  to 
report  at  the  annual  meeting,  in  April,  on  the  subject  of  granting 
additional  space  for  pews.  The  committee  reported  in  favor  of 
appropriating  a  space  eight  feet  deep  on  each  side  of  the  back  part 
of  the  body  seats  for  that  purpose,  whereby  eight  pews  might  be 
constructed  four  feet  deep  and  nine  feet  long.  The  report  was 
accepted  and  the  pews  were  built  as  proposed  and  sold  to  members 
of  the  Parish. 

In  1791,  during  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Henry  Ware,  (who  was 
ordained  pastor  Oct.  24,  1787,)  a  disposition  was  manifested  to  make 
material  changes  in  the  form  and  appearance  of  the  house.  Thus  at 
a  meeting  in  June,  it  was  voted  u  that  the  meeting-house  be  repaired 
in  the  following  manner,  viz. :    that  the  roof  be  carried  up  to  a  point  A 

the  same  pitch  as  the  southwest  roof  is  over  the  centre  of  the  house; 
and  that  the  ridge  extend  from  the  northwest  side  of  the  house  to  the 
southeast,  the  whole  width  of  the  house ;  and  that  where  the  porch 


now 


stands  a  tower  be  built  on  which  the  bell  shall  be  hunjr,  and  such 


& 


work  on  the  top  of  the  tower  as  shall  hereafter  be  ordered ;  and  that 
a  small  porch  be  built  at  the  southwest  door ;  and  that  the  house  shall 
be  painted  all  over  except  the  roof;  and  that  stairs  be  built  in  the 
tower  to  lead  into  the  gallery  as  they  now  do."  A  committee  was 
chosen  to  superintend  the  work.  In  February,  1792,  it  was  voted 
"  that  a  tower  be  built  at  the  southwest  side  of  the  meeting-house  for 


39 


the  bell  to  hano- on."  And  in  March  following  it  was  voted  "that 
the  meeting-house  roof  be  taken  off  and  a  proper  pitch  roof  made  to 
correspond  with  the  tower  that  is  to  be  built  and  to  have  proper 
covings."  Afterwards  it  was  voted  "  to  leave  it  to  the  judgment  of 
the  committee  to  form  the  roof  as  they  shall  judge  best."  The 
committee  were  Gen.  Benjamin  Lincoln,  Dea.  Joseph  Thaxter,  Col. 
Charles  Cushing,  Caleb  Bates,  and  David  Andrews.  At  the  meeting 
in  April,  1792,  the  committee  reported  that  they  found  the  top  of  the 
Meeting-house  so  defective  that  it  was  not  best  to  repair  it  without 
taking  off  the  roof,  and  their  report  was  accepted.  But  in  August, 
following,  it  was  voted  that  the  vote  for  taking  off  the  roof  "be  dis- 
solved." A  still  more  important  vote  was  passed  at  the  same  meeting, 
which  was  as  follows  :  "  Voted  to  take  down  the  meeting-house  and 
build  a  new  one  similar  to  a  plan  exhibited  in  the  meeting  which  is  on 
file,  60  in  favor  of  it  and  28  against  it." 

Committees  were  appointed  to  perfect  the  plan  and  appraise  the 
pews. 

In  November,  1792,  the  Parish  fortunately  abandoned  the  plan  of 
building  a  new  Meeting-house  and  passed  these  votes :  "  Voted, 
not  to  take  down  the  meeting-house  and  build  a  new  one  on  any 
principles."  It  was  also  voted,  "'to  repair  the  meeting-house  in  its 
present  form." 

In  April,  1793,  a  committee  chosen  in  March,  to  consider  the 
question  of  repairs,  "offered  the  following  statement  for  consideration, 
viz. :  That  the  under  pinning  be  well  secured  by  a  wall  without,  and 
the  middle  to  be  filled  up  with  earth ;  that  the  northeast  end  and 
part  of  both  sides  be  new  silled  ;  that  there  be  new  steps  at  the  south- 
west door ;  and  that  all  the  doors  be  repaired ;  that  the  northeast 
end  be  clapboarded  and  the  other  repaired  ;  that  there  be  covings 
under  the  eaves  of  the  front,  rear,  and  southwest  end  ;  and  also  the 
porch  be  shingled,  and  that  of  the  northeast  end  repaired ;  that  a 
new  roof  be  made  where  it  is  now  leaded,  and  that  there  be  banisters 
round  it ;  and  a  new  frame  and  wheel  for  the  bell ;  the  steeple 
repaired,  the  roof  secured  from  spreading  by  two  beams  being  placed 
across  in  the  garret  from  front  to  rear  and  secured  with  iron  clasps, 
and  one  lengthwise  in  the  same  manner ;  the  posts  in  Jonathan 
Lincoln's  pew  secured  at  the  bottom ;  the  ceiling  overhead  white- 
washed, and  the  walls  of  the  front,  rear,  and  southwest  end  be 
painted  on  the  outside." 

The  committee  estimated  the  cost  and  gave  as  their  opinion  that  it 
would  not  exceed  £200. 


40 


This  report  was  accepted  and  a  committee  consisting  of  "Jacob 
Leavitt,  Hawk  Fearing,  Noah  Hearsey,"  chosen  "  to  prepare  the  stuff 
and  to  compleat  the  repairs."  This  work  was  done  and  the  ancient 
edifice  saved. 

1793,  July  22.  It  was  voted  "to  build  a  porch  at  the  southwest 
door  of  the  meeting-house,  and  that  the  porch  be  ten  feet  square  on 
the  ground,  about  ten  feet  post,  a  false  door  with  a  piedmont  in  front,  a 
door  on  each  side,  and  finished  as  is  usual  for  a  porch  of  that  kind  to 
be  finished." 

It  was  also  voted  "to  paint  the  inside  of  the  Meeting-house,  (except 
the  body  seats.)  to  include  the  pew  under  the  pulpit  and  the  Deacon's 
seat,  to  whitewash  the  walls  and  repair  the  plastering." 

The  whole  expense  of  the  repairs  and  improvements  made  in  1793, 
was  £278,  5s.  Qd. 

.  1799,  March  11.  It  was  voted  "  to  build  4  pews  on  the  women's 
side  in  the  body  of  the  meeting-house,"  and  a  committee  was  chosen 
to  procure  the  pews  to  be  built  on  the  best  terms  they  can  and 
conformable  to  the  pews  last  built,  being  confined  to  the  3  hindmost 
seats."  And  in  November,  of  the  same  year,  it  was  voted  "  to  build 
four  pews  in  body  seats  on  the  men's  side  conformable  to  those  last 
built  on  the  women's  side."  At  the  same  time,  it  was  voted  to  build 
five  pews  on  each  of  the  side  galleries  in  front. 

In  1804,  May,  it  was  voted  to  erect  pews  in  the  galleries  back  of 
those  already  made  in  said  galleries. 

All  the  alterations,  additions  and  pews  which  have  been  mentioned, 
from  1791  to  1804,  were  made  and  constructed  during  the  ministry 
of    Dr.  Ware. 

In  1817,  May  17,  it  was  voted,  "to  pew  the  remainder  of  the  body 
seats  on  the  lower  floor  in  the  Meeting  house  and  to  reduce  the  present 
Parish  pews,  in  width,  so  as  to  erect  five  tiers  of  pews  on  the  whole 
ground."     "To  be  built  before  the  first  day  of  March   next." 

L818,  March  3,  "Voted  that  the  Parish  Committee  make  such 
alterations  in  the  Elderly  seat  as  will  make  it  convenient  for  the 
Moderator  and  other  officers  on  publick  meetings." 

Voted,  "That  the  four  front  pews  on  the  lower  floor  be  left  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  elderly  people  if  necessary." 

L818,  March  21,  Voted,  "That  the  Steeple  of  the  Meeting-house 
and  Bell  frame  and  all  the  top  of  said  house  be  put  in  thorough 
repair,"  and  August  31  of*  the  same  year.  Voted,  "That  the  Spire  be 
raised  eighteen  inches  higher  than  it  formerly  was." 

In  1  sr.),  the  Parish  sold  two  of  their  pews  on  the  floor  of  the 
house    to   members   of  the    Parish.     The  remainder  of  the  Parish 


41 


pews  were  retained  by  the  Parish,  being  seventeen  on  the  lower  floor 
and  all  the  gallery  pews,  which  were  let  from  time  to  time,  by 
auction,  to  such  persons  as  the  Parish  approved. 

In  1824,  March  9,  an  alteration  was  authorized  to  be  made  in  the 
front  gallery,  by  making  it  in  the  form  of  an  arc  of  a  circle  for  the 
convenience  of  the  Choir.  In  making  this  alteration,  two  pews  were 
constructed,  one  at  each  end  of  the  front  gallery,  which  were  sold  to 
individuals  and  purchased  of  them  by  the  Parish,  as  appears  by  a 
report  of  the  Parish  Committee  made  in  1844. 

In  1828,  a  committee  made  a  report  to  the  Parish,  which  was 
accepted,  and  in  which  it  was  recommended,  that  the  pews  in  front 
of  the  pulpit  should  be  removed ;  that  the  house  should  be  painted 
inside  ;  the  walls  and  ceiling  whitewashed ;  that  curtains  be  procured 
for  the  pulpit  windows;  curtains  be  placed  in  front  of  the  singers' 
gallery;  and  new  cushions  furnished  for  the  pulpit  and  desk. 

In  1854,  the  Parish  Committee  were  authorized  to  cause  eight  new 
pews  to  be  built  in  the  Eastern  gallery ;  and  in  1855,  the  same 
number  was  ordered  to  be  built  in  the  Western  gallery.  In  1857, 
four  additional  pews  were  ordered  to  be  built  in  each  of  the  above 
mentioned  galleries. 

In  1858,  March  9,  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Parish,  a 
communication  was  received  from  the  "Ladies'  Benevolent  Society" 
of  the  Parish,  in  relation  to  repairs  on  the  Meeting-house  and 
tendering  donations  in  money  to  effect  the  object. 

The  Parish  Committee  were  instructed  to  confer  with  the  ladies  in 
order  to  carry  their  propositions  into  effect.  Several  hundred  dollars, 
a  part  of  which  was  the  proceeds  of  a  Fair,  conducted  under  the 
direction  of  the  Benevolent  Society,  were  given  to  the  Parish  which 
was  expended  by  the  Parish  Committee  in  repairing  and  beautifying 
.the  house.  At  the  annual  meeting  in  1860,  it  was  voted,  "That  the 
Parish  present  their  grateful  acknowledgments  to  the  Ladies'  Benevo- 
lent Society,  for  the  very  liberal  donations  of  money  which  that  Society 
has  made  on  two  recent  occasions,  towards  repairing  and  beautifying 
the  Meeting-house." 

In  1859,  four  pews  had  been  constructed,  by  order  of  the  Parish 
Committee,  in  the  front  gallery;  and  in  18G8,  four  more  pews  had 
been  built  in  the  same  gallery,  making  the  whole  number  of  gallery 
pews,  thirty-two. 

We  come  now  to  a  period  in  the  history  of  the  Meeting-house  of 
unusual  interest  and  importance. 

6 


42 


NEW  PEWS  AND  EXTENSIVE  REPAIRS. 

At  the  annual  Parish  meeting,  held  March  10,  18G9,  it  was  voted, 
"  That  a  committee  be  chosen  to  consider  the  matter  of  reseating 
the  lower  floor  of  the  Church,"  and  ascertain  the  probable  expense  of 
a  new  floor  and  new  pews,  and  report  to  the  Parish  at  their  next 
meeting. 

Voted,  That  said  committee  consist  of  five,  and  that  the  same  be 
nominated  by  the  moderator,  (Gen.  Luther  Stephenson,  Jun.) 
Warren  A.  Hersey,  Ebed  S.  Ripley,  William  Fearing,  2d,  E.  Waters 
Burr  and  Henry  C.  Harding  were  named  by  the  moderator  and 
accepted  by  the  Parish  as  said  committee. 

Voted,  That  the  members  of  the  Parish  Committee  be  added  to 
the  above  committee.  The  members  of  the  Parish  Committee  were 
John  K.  Corthell,  Israel  Whitcomb  and  Quincy  Bicknell. 

1869,  April  7,  at  an  adjourned  Parish  meeting,  the  foregoing 
committee  presented  a  report  on  the  subject  committed  to  them.  In 
this  report,  the  committee  stated  that  the  floor  of  the  Meeting-house 
was  "  in  a  very  advanced  state  of  decomposition,"  and  that  it  was  the 
unanimous  opinion  of  the  committee,  that  for  its  preservation,  a  new 
floor  was  expedient,  that  the  construction  of  a  new  floor  involved  the 
necessity  of  removing  the  old  pews  and  constructing  new  ones ;  and 
that  the  prosperity  and  growth  of  the  Society  required  that  a  Vestry 
be  constructed  under  the  "  Church."  The  estimated  cost  of  doing  the 
work,  materials,  value  of  the  old  pews,  repairing  foundation  and 
contingencies,  was  $7,500,  without  a  Vestry ;  and  with  a  Vestry, 
$10,000. 

This  report  was  accepted  excepting  that  part  of  it  which  recom- 
i  in 'in  led  a  Vestry. 

A  committee  was  chosen  to  carry  the  report  as  amended  and 
accepted  into  effect.  The  following  named  gentlemen  were  chosen 
to  compose  the  committee,  viz:  Israel  Whitcomb,  John  K.  Corthell, 
Quincy  Bicknell,  E.  Waters  Burr,  Warren  A.  Ilersey,  Ebed  S. 
Ripley  and  William  Fearing,  2d. 
The  committee  were  directed  "to  have  the  old  pews  appraised  and 

also  lh<-  new  ones  when  completed/' 

1869,  .June  1  1,  a  special    Parish  meeting  was  called  to  consider  the 
subject    of  repairs    and   alterations    with    a    view  to   a   more  detailed 


43 


report  of  those  which  should  be  regarded  as  necessary  or  expedient, 
also  on  the  subject  of  furnishing  and  heating  the  Meeting-house, — 
with  estimates  of  the  cost  of  the  same. 

The  whole  subject  was  referred  to  the  committee  of  seven 
appointed  at  the  last  meeting,  with  a  request  that  they  report  to  the 
Parish  at  the  earliest  day  practicable. 

1869,  June  21,  a  special  meeting  of  the  Parish  was  held  to  hear 
the  report  of  the  committee  and  to  act  thereon. 

The  report  was  very  full  and  elaborate,  and  was  arranged  in 
eighteen  sections,  of  which  the  following  is  an  abstract : 

Section  1.  The  committee  deem  it  expedient  that  the  Choir  and 
Organ  be  located  upon  the  platform  on  the  Easterly  side  of  the 
pulpit. 

Sect.  2.  The  South-eastern  porch  to  be  repaired,  new  sills, 
floor,  stairs  and  doors.  A  chimney  to  be  built  from  the  basement  to 
the  chimney  in  the  "attic."  Stairs  from  the  porch  to  basement 
under  the  gallery  stairs. 

Sect.  3.     The  walls  of  the  whole  house  to  be  clapboarded  anew. 

Sect.  4.  New  windows  with  plain  glass,  (10x15)  and  blinds,  or 
with  stained  glass,  without  blinds. 

Sect.  5.  The  outer  walls  to  be  painted  with  two  coats  of  paint. 
The  painting  of  the  spire  and  the  gilding  of  the  vane  and  ball  to  be 
included. 

Sect.  6.  Three  sides  of  the  roof  to  be  shingled.  The  committee 
are  unable  to  state  the  extent  to  which  repairs  should  be  made. 

Sect.  7.  The  lower  and  unfinished  part  of  the  posts  in  the 
interior  of  the  "  Church  "  should  be  finished  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
conform  in  appearance  to  the  upper  part  of  the  same. 

Sect.  8.  The  committee  state  their  objections  to  stoves  for 
heating  the  house ;  and  propose  two  furnaces  in  brick,  having  two 
registers  or  one  register  each :  or  two  portable  furnaces  with  two 
registers,  or  one  register  each.    An  estimate  of  the  expense  was  given. 

Sect.  9.  The  purcha.se  of  new  carpets  for  the  lower  floor  of  the 
house,  cushions  of  uniform  character  for  the  pews,  and  such  pulpit 
furniture  and  drapery  as  may  be  deemed  necessary,  is  recommended. 

Sect.   10.     A  flight  of  stairs  on  each  side  of  the  pulpit  is  proposed. 

Sect.  11.  If  section  1  is  approved,  the  committee  ask  for  authority 
to  place  seats  or  erect  pews  in  the  gallery  recently  occupied  by  the 
Choir,  and  to  dispose  of  the  same  for  the  best  interest  of  the  Parish. 

Sect.  12.  The  committee  recommend  that  the  grounds  around 
the  u  Church"  be  graded  to  conform  to  the  foundation  of  the  same. 


u 


Sect.  13.  The  committee  proposed  that  the  expenses  incurred  by 
repairs  on  the  outside  of  the  Meeting-house,  viz. :  clapboarding, 
painting,  shingling  the  roof,  and  necessary  repairs  on  the  spire,  and 
also  the  cost  of  windows  be  paid  by  a  Parish  tax  to  be  levied  and 
paid  in  five  equal  annual  instalments. 

At  the  said  meeting,  the  report  was  taken  up  and  considered  by 
sections  with  the  following  result: 

Sections  1,  2  and  3  were  severally  accepted  without  amendment. 
Section  4  was  accepted  with  an  amendment  "  that  there  be  37  new 
windows  with  diamond  sashes  and  plain  glass."  Sections  5,  6  and  7 
were  severally  accepted  without  amendment.  Section  8  was 
referred  to  the  committee  to  act  in  the  premises  as  they  think  best. 
Sections  9  and  10  were  accepted  without  amendment.  Section  11  was 
accepted  after  striking  out  the  clause  in  relation  to  the  disposal  of 
pews.  Section  12  was  accepted  and  referred  to  the  committee  to 
act  as  they  may  deem  best.  Section  13.  Voted  that  no  action  be 
taken  thereon  at  this  meeting. 

At  this  meeting  the  Parish  Committee  offered  a  report  in  relation 
to  the  sale  of  pews  which  was  read  for  information  and  laid  on  the 
table  for  future  consideration. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  Parish  held  August  9,  1869,  the  report, 
read  for  information  at  the  last  meeting,  in  relation  to  the  appraisal  of 
the  pews,  their  sale  by  auction  and  the  conditions  of  sale,  as  well  as 
the  conditions  to  be  inserted  in  the  deeds  of  the  same  by  the  Parish 
Committee,  was  considered  and  accepted  with  an  amendment  limiting 
the  sale  to  those  now  being  erected  on  the  lower  floor  of  the  house. 
The  conditions  to  be  inserted  in  the  deeds  of  pews,  being  printed  in  a 
form  prepared  by  the  Parish  Committee,  are  in  the  possession  of  every 
pew-holder  and  are  therefore  not  reprinted. 

It  was  also  voted,  that  the  Committee  on  Repairs  be  requested  to 
carry  out  the  provisions  of  the  vote  of  the  7th  of  April,  last,  in 
relation  to  the  appraisal  of  pews,  and  which  directed  the  committee  to 
have  the  old   pews  appraised,  and  also  the  new  ones  when  completed. 

A  plan  of  the  old  pews  is  here  inserted  with  their  numbers,  by 
which,  and  their  position,  persons  interested  can  recall  to  their  minds 
their  occupants  and  the  general  appearance  of  the  congregation. 

1869,  August  17,  a  Paiish  meeting  was  held,  at  which  it  was  voted 
that  the  pews  in  the  galleries  be  offered  for  sale  at  the  same  time  as 
those  on  the  lower  floor  and  on  the  same  terms  and  conditions.  It 
\\:i^  also  voted,  that  the  Treasurer  be  requested  to  oiler  the  pews  for 
sale  on  Wednesday,  the  eighth  day  of  September  next. 


Plan  qf  Oip  Pgvys  ,  ||NJ  fiftEETIBUS  HltBUI 


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11. 

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5b. 

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PEW  REMOVED  & 
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45 


.  It  was  also  voted  that  the  Parish  Committee  be  requested  to  open 
the  Meeting-house  for  public  worship  as  soou  as  it  shall  be  completed 
and  dedicated. 

The  work  on  the  Meeting-house  was  completed  before  the  day 
appointed  for  its  rededication  and  the  sale  of  the  pews. 

The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  an  article  published  in  the 
Hingham  Journal,  written  by  a  member  of  the  Committee  on  Repairs, 
and  contain  some  facts  which  have  not  been  mentioned  in  the  preceding 
pages. 

From  the  Hingham  Journal  of  July  7,  1869. 

By  a  notice  in  our  advertising  columns,  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
pews  in  the  Meeting-house  of  the  First  Parish,  in  this  town,  will  be 
sold  by  auction,  on  Wednesday  next,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
If  any  apology  be  necessary  for  calling  more  particular  attention  to 
this  sale  than  is  given  by  the  advertisement,  it  must  be  found  in  the 
interest  which  not  only  the  members  of  this  Parish  but  many  people 
beyond  the  limits  of  this  Parish  have  felt  in  the  matter  since  the  work 
of  repairs  was  commenced  upon  this  ancient  edifice.  This  interest 
has  had  something  more  than  a  local  character,  for  wherever  the 
descendants  of  those  who  nearly  two  centuries  ago  erected  this  house, 
are  scattered  throughout  the  whole  of  our  wide-spread  domain,  there 
is  some  knowledge,  traditional  or  otherwise,  in  relation  to  the  peculiar 
history  of  this  old  house  ;  and  the  thousands  of  strangers  who  have  at 
different  times  visited  us  have  carried  away  lasting  impressions  of  the 
unique  style  of  building  once  familiar  to  the  fathers,  but  now  of  rare 
occurrence. 

There  is  no  other  house  for  public  worship  now  standing  in  New 
England,  which  was  built  for  that  purpose,  and  which  has  been  in 
constant  use  for  so  long  a  period  of  time ;  perhaps  none  in  the  whole 
country. 

Several  articles  have  appeared  in  the  columns  of  this  paper  during 
the  time  the  work  of  repair  has  been  going  on,  evincing  no  small 
degree  of  interest  in  relation  to  the  manner  in  which  the  committee, 
who  had  the  work  in  charge,  proposed  to  accomplish  it,  and  it  is  not 
surprising  that  therein  fears  were  expressed  that  something  would  be 
done  in  the  progress  of  the  work  to  mar  the  general  character  of  the 
building  ;  and  the  committee  ought  to  feel  under  some  obligation  to 
this  expression  of  public  feeling,  in  restraining  an}^  tendency  in  this 
direction,  if  unhappily  it  had  any  foothold  among  them.      It  was  no 


46 


mere  desire  for  change  or  to  conform  to  modern  fashion  of  architecture, 
which  led  to  the  work  of  repair,  but  an  apparent  necessity  for  making 
essential  repairs  had  been  felt  for  some  years.  This  at  last  led  to  an 
examination  of  the  floor  of  the  house,  and  this  examination  revealed 
the  fact  that  if  the  Parish  wished  to  preserve  their  house  they  must 
forthwith  commence  the  work  of  repairs,  and  that  nothing  short  of  an 
entire  new  floor  would  answer  the  purpose.  This  rendered  the 
removal  of  the  pews  necessary,  and  the  removal  involved  their 
destruction. 

There  were  many  associations  connected  with  those  old  pews,  full 
of  the  deepest  interest  to  those  occupying  them,  and  nothing  but  the 
sternest  necessity  could  have  reconciled  the  owners  to  their  sacrifice. 
Those  old  square  pews  were  not  put  in  the  house  when  it  was  first 
built,  but  were  placed  there  when  the  last  addition  was  made  in  1755. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  new  windows  have  the  diamond  shaped 
glass, — this,  too,  approximates  to  a  restoration  of  the  original  windows, 
the  remains  of  one  of  which  were  found  on  removing  some  of  the 
floors.  It  was  made  of  leaden  bars,  crossed  in  the  shape  of  a  diamond, 
according  to  the  fashion  of  those  times. 

The  present  condition  and  aspect  of  the  Meeting-house  are 
something  as  follows  :  A  cellar  has  been  excavated  under  the  house, 
of  sufficient  depth,  in  which  are  placed  two  brick  furnaces  for  heating 
purposes.  The  new  sills  and  large  floor  timbers  and  the  columns 
supporting  the  same  are  of  the  best  Southern  pine  ;  the  floor  joists 
are  of  spruce,  and  the  floor  boards  are  of  pine.  The  pews  are  made 
of  chestnut,  with  black  walnut  ends  and  mouldings ;  furnished  with 
cushions,  and  carpeted  uniformly  with  the  aisles,  the  prevailing  color 
of  the  cushions  and  carpets  being  green.  The  pews  were  made  by 
DaymoD  &  Rice,  of  East  Weymouth. 

The  pulpit  is  the  one  built  in  1755,  with  some  alterations.  It  is  of 
pine,  and  painted.  In  1828  it  was  repainted  by  the  late  Col.  Charles 
Lane,  in  imitation  of  mahogany.  This  painting  is  preserved,  and  it  is 
highly  creditable  to  the  taste  and  skill  for  which,  we  all  remember, 
Col.  Lane  was  so  justly  celebrated.  The  alteration  of  the  entrance 
to  the  south  porch,  and  the  change  of  the  stairway  therein,  render 
access  to  the  house  and  galleries  from  that  direction  more  convenient 
than  formerly. 

An  Organ  w;is  placed  in  the  singing  gallery  about  three  years  ago. 
This,  with  the  position  of  the  Choir,  has  been  removed  to  a  platform 


47 


on  the  left  of  the  pulpit,  and  pews  have  been  put  in  the  singing 
gallery. 

The  ground  has  been  lowered  around  the  house  to  a  depth  of  about 
two  feet,  so  as  to  show  the  stone  foundation.  The  stone  work  was 
laid  by  Charles  E.  Colbath,  and  it  was  finished  by  pointing,  in  the 
best  style  of  that  art,  by  Warren  A.  Hersey. 

Under  the  south-west  corner  stone  is  deposited  a  leaden  box, 
containing  appropriate  documents  and  memorials  connected  with  the 
history  of  this  parish,  and  also  containing  an  account  of  the  present 
work  done  on  this  house.  These  were  prepared  under  the  direction 
of  the  Hon.  Solomon  Lincoln.  Among  the  documents  are  three  small 
books  of  autographs  of  the  six  ministers  of  the  parish,  and  of  men 
prominent  in  the  history  of  the  town  and  parish.  These  were 
prepared  by  George  Lincoln,  and  they  are  correctly  and  beautifully 
executed.  The  external  appearance  of  the  house  is  very  little 
changed,  if  we  except  that  slight  change  which  a  different  color  to 
the  paint  gives  it.  In  the  interior  the  change  is  more  marked, 
arising  from  the  difference  in  the  style  of  the  pews  from  that  of  the 
old  ones.  The  outside  painting  was  done  by  Cross  &  Reed,  and  the 
inside  painting  by  J.  &  S.  Sprague,  and  it  seems  to  be  very  well  done. 

The  whole  work  of  repairs  and  alterations  has  been  carried 
on  under  the  immediate  superintendence  of  David  Leavitt,  who 
furnished  the  plans,  and  who  has  carried  the  work  through  in  a  very 
thorough  and  satisfactory  manner. 

And  now  the  work  being  finished  and  the  house  ready  for  use,  the 
Parish  and  the  Pastor  propose,  on  Wednesday  forenoon  next,  in 
accordance  with  time-honored  custom,  to  rededicate  it  to  the  purposes 
for  which  it  was  erected,  and  for  which  it  has  hitherto  been  used — to 
the  worship  of  Almighty  God.  The  circumstances  attending  the 
rededication  are  of  more  than  usual  interest.  This  service  should 
connect  and  consecrate  the  work  of  the  present  through  nearly  two 
centuries  of  time  with  all  that  is  holy  and  sacred  in  the  memory  of 
the  past.  The  footsteps  of  six  generations  of  holy  men  and  women 
re-echo  to  our  own  as  we  thread  these  ancient  portals ; — the  very 
walls  speak  to  us  with  the  entranced  sounds  of  many  voices  once 
joined  in  hymns  of  praise  to  their  Maker. 

We  can  see  the  very  spot  where  the  amiable  and  pious  Norton 
stood  as  he  exhorted  the  people.  We  gaze  into  the  very  pulpit 
consecrated  by  the  wisdom  and  piety  of  the  venerable  Gay,  and  made 
memorable  by  the  Christian  attainments  and  learning  of  the  elder 
Ware ;    while   at   the   present  time   it  embraces  the  labors  of  two 


48 


Pastors,  one  living  at  a  greater  age  than  even  the  venerable  Gay- 
attained,  and  the  other  just  completing  the  three  score  years  and  ten. 

In  the  afternoon,  after  the  dedication,  the  pews  in  the  Meeting- 
house are  to  be  sold,  from  the  proceeds  of  which  the  quite  large  costs 
of  all  these  repairs  are  to  be  paid  ;  and  the  opportunity  is  offered  to 
any  one  of  obtaining  a  pew  in  this  house  on  very  liberal  terms — an 
opportunity  not  likely  to  occur  again. 

And  now  the  public,  which  has  held  this  Parish  and  its  committee 
to  the  most  strict  account,  to  the  bar  of  its  opinion,  in  everything 
connected  with  the  preservation  of  all  that  was  venerable  and 
consecrated  in  their  house,  will  have  the  means  of  showing  the  extent 
of  its  interest  by  a  tangible  and  certain  measure,  and  we  trust  the 
result  will  show  that  this  public  sentiment  and  interest  will  be  found 
true  to  all  the  just  and  honorable  tests  to  which  it  may  be  subjected  ; 
and  we  wish  the  Parish  may  realize  an  amount  from  the  sale  of  their 
pews  exceeding  their  most  sanguine  expectations. 


11EDEDICATI0N 


At  the  meeting  held  August  17,  1869,  the  Committee  on  Repairs 
and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lincoln  were  appointed  a  committee  to  make 
arrangements  for  the  dedication.  It  was  also  voted,  that  an  addition  of 
three  be  made  to  the  above  named  committee;  and  Hon.  Albert 
Fearing,  Hon.  Solomon  Lincoln  and  Henry  C.  Harding  were  added. 

This  committee  made  arrangements  for  the  rededication  in  con- 
formity to  a  previous  vote  of  the  Parish. 

We  subjoin  the  Order  of  Services  on  that  occasion  : 


49 


ORDER    OF    SERVICES 

AT  THE 

RE-OPENING 

OF  THE 

Meeting-house  of  the  First  Parish, 

IN    HINGHAM, 

On  Wednesday,  September  8th,  18G9. 


I.    ANTHEM. 


"  Beautiful  are  thy  towers,  0  Zion, 

Lovely  in  their  strength  thy  walls  and  stately  palaces 

For  thy  Shepherd  loveth  thee, 

He  shall  comfort  thee  in  every  danger, 

He  shall  defend  thee  in  the  day  of  trouble, 

His  sun  shall  direct  thee  by  day, 

His  stars  shall  hold  good  watch  over  thee  by  night. 

Lovely  art  thou,  O  Zion, 

Firm  are  thy  towers  and  thy  lofty  domes, 

For  thy  good  Shepherd  loveth  thee, 

He  shall  guard  thee,  He  shall  defend  thee, 

Thy  foes  shall  not  lead  thee  captive, 

And  thou  shalt  sing  his  praise 

Forevermore."     Amen. 

II.    INVOCATION  AND  READING  OF  SCRIPTURES. 
By  Rev.  John  D.  Wells,  of  Quincy. 

III.     HYMN.     "  The  House  our  Fathers  built  to  God." — Emerson. 

Tune — China. 

(The  Congregation  are  requested  to  join  in  singing  this  hymn.) 

We  love  the  venerable  house 

Our  fathers  built  to  God; 
In  heaven  arc  kept  their  grateful  vows, 

Their  dust  endears  the  sod. 


•50 


Here  holy  thoughts  a  light  have  shed 

From  many  a  radiant  face, 
And  prayers  of  tender  hope  have  spread 

A  perfume  through  the  place. 


And  anxious  hearts  have  pondered  here 

The  mystery  of  life, 
And  prayed  the  Eternal  Spirit  clear 

Their  doubts  and  aid  their  strife. 


They  live  with  God,  their  homes  are  dust 

But  here  their  children  pray, 
And,  in  this  fleeting  lifetime,  trust 

To  find  the  narrow  way. 


IV.     SERMON. 
By  Rev.  Calvin  Lincoln. 


V.     ANTHEM.    "On  opening  a  Place  for  Worship." — Montgomery. 

Lord  of  hosts  to  thee  we  raise 
Here  a  house  of  prayer  and  praise ; 
Thou  thy  people's  heart  prepare 
Here  to  meet  for  praise  and  prayer. 


Let  the  living  here  be  fed 
With  thy  word,  the  heavenly  bread 
Here  in  hope  of  glory  blest, 
May  the  dead  be  laid  to  rest. 


Here  to  thee  a  temple  stand, 
While  the  sea  shall  gird  the  laud; 
Here  reveal  thy  mercy  sure, 
While  the  sun  and  moon  endure. 


Hallelujah! — earth  and  sky 
To  the  joyful  sound  reply; 
Hallelujah  ! — hence  ascend 
Prayer  and  praise  till  time  shall 


51 

VI.    PRAYER  OF  DEDICATION, 
By  Rev.  Joseph  Osgood,  of  Cohasset. 

VII.    ADDRESSES, 
By  Rev.  Ezra  S.  Gannett,  D.D.,  of  Boston,  and  others. 

VIII.    DEDICATION  HYMN.— Bryant. 

O  Thou,  whose  own  vast  temple  stands, 

Built  over  earth  and  sea, 
Accept  the  walls,  that  human  hands 

Have  raised  to  worship  thee. 

Lord,  from  thine  inmost  glory  send, 

Within  these  courts  to  bide, 
The  peace  that  dwelleth,  without  end, 

Securely  by  thy  side. 

May  erring  minds  that  worship  here 

Be  taught  the  better  way, 
And  they  who  mourn,  and  they  who  fear, 

Be  strengthened  as  they  pray. 

May  faith  grow  firm,  and  love  grow  warm, 

And  pure  devotion  rise, 
While  round  these  hallowed  walls  tho  storm 

Of  earth-born  passion  dies. 

IX.     CONCLUDING  PRAYER. 

X.    DISMISSION  HYMN. 

Tune— Old  Hundred. 

(In  winch  the  Congregation  are  requested  to  join.) 

XL    BENEDICTION. 


52 


The  services  of  rededication  were  of  a  highly  interesting  character. 
Notwithstanding  the  extreme  heat,  the  house  was  well  filled  at  an  early 
hour.  Clergymen  of  the  town  and  neighboring  towns  of  different 
denominations  were  present.  The  venerable  senior  pastor  of  the 
society,  Rev.  Joseph  Richardson,  then  in  his  ninety-second  year, 
with  his  aged  wife,  occupied  seats  on  the  platform  near  the  pulpit, 
facing  the  congregation.  In  consequence  of  the  infirmities  of  age,  he 
had,  within  a  few  years,  ceased  from  his  ministerial  labors,  but  on  the 
present  occasion,  although  blind  and  well  stricken  in  years,  he 
determined  to  be  present,  and  manifested  a  strong  interest  in  all  the 
services  and  proceedings.  The  discourse  by  Rev.  Calvin  Lincoln,  the 
associate  pastor,  is  printed  in  this  pamphlet  and  needs  no  encomium 
of  ours.  It  is  not  improper  to  say  that  it  was  characteristic  of  its 
author.  It  was  a  plain,  simple,  frank  exposition  of  sentiment,  appro- 
priate in  its  historical  allusions,  and  delivered  in  an  effective  style  of 
eloquence.  It  gave  great  satisfaction  to  those  who  enjoyed  the 
privilege  of  hearing  it,  and  will  be  read  with  equal  pleasure  and  profit. 
The  prayer  of  dedication  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Osgood,  of  the  former 
"  second  precinct  of  Hingham,"  was  comprehensive,  appropriate  and 
impressive.  Rev.  Ezra  Stiles  Gannett,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  George  W. 
Hepworth  were  present  by  invitation,  and  addressed  the  audience. 
Dr.  Gannett  threw  his  whole  soul  into  the  occasion.  He  was  full  of 
life,  energy  and  spirit.  He  entered  into  all  the  feelings  of  his  friend  and 
classmate,  the  associate  pastor,  and  spoke  in  that  flowing  and  fervent 
style  of  eloquence  which  seemed  almost  like  inspiration.  The  fact 
that  his  honored  father,  Rev.  Caleb  Gannett,  was  ordained  in  this 
house  more  than  one  hundred  years  ago,  to  be  pastor  of  a  church  in 
Nova  Scotia,  was  spoken  of  with  a  tenderness  and  pathos  which  is 
seldom  surpassed. 

Mr.  Hepworth  also  was  exceedingly  animated  and  interesting.  He 
spoke  with  great  rapidity  and  it  seemed  almost  impossible  to  catch  his 
ideas  in  their  rapid  flow,  yet  expressed  with  great  felicity  and  power. 

It  is  matter  of  regret  that  a  reporter  was  not  employed  to  take 
down  the  language  of  the  eloquent  speakers. 

The  performances  were  all  interesting  and  not  so  prolonged  as  to 
Ik;  tedious.  The  beautiful  poetry  of  Emerson,  Montgomery  and 
Bryant  was  sung  in  strains  which  were  appropriate,  and  with  fine 
musical  effect. 

At  noon,  refreshments  were;  served  to  the  audience,  in  Loring  Hall, 
which  presented  an  attractive  scene.  Ample  tables  were  loaded  with 
an  elegant   collation,  embellished  with  choice  fruits  and  flowers,  and 


53 


gracefully  distributed  by  a  select  committee  of  young  ladies  of  the 
Parish.  Such  was  the  enthusiasm  of  the  occasion  that  Dr.  Gannett 
could  not,  if  he  would,  suppress  another  burst  of  his  burning  eloquence, 
and  he  was  followed  by  others  who  had  caught  his  spirit  and  gave 
utterance  to  their  best  thoughts  expressed  with  unusual  spirit  and 
eloquence.  The  services  of  that  day  will  long  be  remembered  by 
those  who  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  present. 

At  the  close  of  the  day,  some  solicitude  was  felt  for  the  safety  of  the 
ancient  edifice,  when  a  severe  hurricane  arose  which  prostrated 
buildings  and  -many  ornamental  trees  in  this  and  other  sections  of  the 
country,  but  its  frame  of  oak  sustained  it  throughout  the  violence  of 
the  tempest  with  very  slight  injury. 


SALE  OF  PEWS. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  those  interested  in  the  sale  of  pews 
assembled  at  the  Meeting-house,  and  Col.  Charles  W.  Seymour 
having  been  selected  as  auctioneer,  the  sale  over  appraisal  commenced. 
The  bidding  was  spirited,  and  the  results  of  the  sale  were  highly 
satisfactory. 

On  that  and  a  subsequent  day,  all  the  pews  on  the  floor  of  the  house, 
as  well  as  those  in  the  galleries,  were  sold.  The  proceeds  of  the  sales 
exceeded  in  amount  the  cost  of  the  repairs  and  alterations  which  was 
a  little  more  than  thirteen  thousand  dollars.  There  were  a  few 
changes  of  ownership  after  the  public  sales,  but  in  order  that  the 
names  of  the  pew-holders,  as  finally  settled,  may  be  preserved  for 
convenient  reference,  they  are  here  inserted,  together  with  a  plan  of 
the  new  pews  on  the  floor  and  in  the  galleries,  with  the  numbers  of 
the  pews  corresponding  with  those  prefixed  to  the  names  of  the 
pew-holders  on  the  next  two  pages. 


■u 


PEW-HOLDERS 

IN    THE 

MEETING-HOUSE  OF  THE  FIRST  PARISH  IN  HINGHAM. 


July 

1,  1873. 

J 

Parish — for  Singers. 

39. 

Joseph  W.  Philbrook. 

2. 

Ebed  L.  Ripley. 

40. 

Hawkes  and  Morris  Fearing. 

3. 

Seth  Sprague,  2d. 

41. 

John  R.  Brewer. 

4. 

Josiah  Sprague. 

42. 

Lincoln  Jacob. 

5. 

Thomas  J.  Leavitt. 

43. 

Elizabeth  R.  Hersey. 

6. 

David  A.  Hersey. 

44. 

Lydia  Sprague. 

7. 

Mary  Y.  C.  Farmer. 

45. 

Lydia  and  Mary  Lincoln. 

8. 

Henry  Stephenson. 

46. 

Nehemiah  Ripley. 

9. 

Charles  Leavitt. 

47. 

William  Fearing,  2d. 

10. 

David  Leavitt. 

48. 

E.  Waters  Burr. 

11. 

Levi  Corthell. 

49. 

Charles  Siders. 

12. 

Sidney  Sprague. 

50. 

Solomon  Lincoln. 

13. 

Quincy  Bicknell. 

51. 

John  Stephenson. 

14. 

Luther  Stephenson,  Jr. 

52. 

Henry  C.  Harding. 

15. 

Elijah  C.  Corthell. 

53. 

Caleb  B.  Marsh. 

16. 

Warren  A.  Hersey. 

54. 

Isaac  Easterbrook. 

17. 

Justin  Ripley. 

55. 

Calvin  Lincoln. 

18. 

Albert  Fearing. 

56. 

Jairus  B.  Lincoln. 

19. 

Seth  L.  Burr. 

57. 

Weston  Lewis. 

20. 

Alanson  Crosby. 

58. 

Alexander  Lincoln. 

21. 

John  W.  Peirce. 

59. 

Emily  Fearing. 

22. 

Starkes  Whiton. 

60. 

Joshua  Leavitt. 

23. 

Fearing  Burr. 

61. 

Albert  Fearing. 

24. 

Charles  Howard. 

62. 

Jason  W.  and  George  F.  Whitney 

25. 

Ezra  Stephenson. 

63. 

Charles  T.  Burr. 

26. 

John  K.  Corthell. 

64. 

Mary  E.  and  Adeline  L.  Riddle. 

27. 

Emma  and  Arthur  A.  Burr. 

65. 

Loring  Jacob. 

28. 

Peter  N.  Sprague. 

66. 

Moses  Cross. 

29. 

l'vam  C.  Burr. 

67. 

Henry  Trowbridge. 

30. 

Susan  and  -Martha  Lincoln. 

68. 

Samuel  and  Leavitt  Sprague. 

31. 

Parish — for  Singers. 

69. 

Joseph  Easterbrook. 

32. 

Parish — for  Singers. 

70. 

Caleb  Real. 

33. 

Albert  Leavitt. 

71. 

Charles  E.  Thayer. 

34. 

David  Gushing,  2d. 

72. 

John  1).  Gates. 

35. 

I)a\ id  Fearing, 

73. 

-John  0.  Remington. 

86. 

Anson  Nicker  son. 

74. 

Abner  L.  Leavitt. 

37. 

Thomas  Sprague. 

75. 

Emeline  Hollis. 

38. 

Ebed  L,  Ripley. 

76. 

Heirs  of  Martin  Fearing. 

55 


77. 

John  M.  Corbett. 

101. 

Zen  as  Lorir.g. 

78. 

Thomas  Stephenson. 

102. 

Lincoln  Fearing. 

79. 

Catherine  H.  Hobart. 

103. 

Bela  Whiton. 

80. 

Charles  B.  W.  Lane. 

104. 

Erastus  Whiton. 

81. 

Bela  H.  Whiton. 

105. 

Luther  Stephenson. 

82. 

Seth  L.  Hobart. 

106. 

Henry  M.  Hersey. 

83. 

John  Todd. 

107. 

E.  Waters  Burr. 

84. 

George  Lincoln. 

108. 

Samuel  Sherman. 

85. 

Maria  Hersey. 

109. 

Israel  Whitcomb. 

86. 

Royal  Whiton. 

110. 

Allen  A.  Lincoln. 

87. 

Royal  Whiton. 

111. 

John  B.  Lewis. 

88. 

Adeline  A.  Barnes. 

112. 

Thomas  H.  Lincoln 

89. 

Thomas  Cain. 

113. 

Reuben  Thomas. 

90. 

Charles  F.  Hough. 

114. 

Charles  Spring. 

91. 

E.  Waters  Burr. 

115. 

Silas  H.  Cobb. 

92. 

William  P.  Kelsey. 

116. 

Henry  C.  Harding. 

93. 

Giles  H.  Gardner. 

117. 

Russell  LeBaron. 

94. 

Ebed  L.  Ripley. 

118. 

Parish. 

95. 

Eliza  Ann  Sprague. 

119. 

Sydney  Lincoln. 

96. 

Reuben  Sprague. 

120. 

Morris  Fearing. 

97. 

William  Jones. 

121. 

Reuben  Reed. 

98. 

Thomas  C.  Humphrey. 

122. 

George  W.  Tilden. 

99. 
00. 

Albert  Fearing. 

Henry  Merritt,  Jr.  and  George  R. 

123. 

Charles  Schmidt. 

Public  worship,  after  the  alterations,  was  first  held  on  the  Sabbath, 
September  12, 1869. 


PARISH  SEAL. 

At  a  Parish  meeting  held  October  15, 1869,  a  committee  consisting 
of  Quincy  Bicknell  and  Wallace  Corthell,  previously  appointed  to 
procure  a  common  seal  for  the  use  of  the  Parish  and  to  prepare  a 
device  for  the  same,  made  a  report,  in  which  they  stated  that  the 
design  was  made  by  Mr.  Corthell,  and  consists  of  a  picture  of  the 
Meeting-house  in  a  centre  surrounded  by  an  ornamental  circular 
border,  which  is  itself  encircled  by  another,  leaving  a  sufficient  space 
between  the  two  for  the  following  motto  and  date  : 


"LET  THE  WORK  OF  OUR  FATHERS  STAND,— 1681." 

The  committee  stated  that  the  motto  was  selected  by  Hon.  Solomon 
Lincoln.  The  report  of  the  committee  was  unanimously  adopted  by 
the  Parish. 


5G 


LIGHTING  THE  HOUSE. 

At  the  above  meeting,  held  October  15,  1869,  the  subject  of 
furnishing  apparatus  for  lighting  the  Meeting-house  was  referred  to  a 
committee  consisting  of  Quincy  Bicknell,  John  K.  Corthell,  and  Israel 
Whitcomb,  to  report  at  a  future  meeting.  1870,  January  11,  the 
committee  made  a  verbal  report  stating  the  number  and  form  of  lamps 
which  would  be  desirable  and  put  in  position  at  a  cost  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars.  Upon  this  subject  there  was  a  difference  of  opinion. 
A  proposition  to  substitute  an  evening  for  an  afternoon  service  was 
negatived ;  but  after  further  debate  it  was  finally  voted  "  that  lamps 
be  procured  for  the  lighting  of  the  Meeting-house,  as  recommended 
by  the  committee;  but  the  house  on  no  occasion  shall  be  lighted 
except  for  public  worship,  or  religious  meetings  connected  with  the 
Society." 

In  1870,  July  1,  the  Parish  voted  "that  an  evening  service  be 
substituted  for  the  afternoon  service  during  the  months  of  July, 
August  and  September  of  this  year."  By  a  subsequent  vote,  the 
evening  service  was  continued  during  the  month  of  October.  In  the 
three  subsequent  years,  1871,  1872,  1873,  votes  were  passed  by  the 
Parish,  at  the  annual  meetings,  to  substitute  an  evening  for  an 
afternoon  service,  from  July  1  to  November  1 ,  in  each  year. 


GIFT  OF  A  LOT  OF  LAND. 

At  a  Parish  meeting  held  July  1,  1870,  information  was  given  that 
Hon.  Albert  Fearing  had  expressed  a  wish  to  give  a  lot  of  land  to 
the  Parish,  to  enlarge  its  grounds,  if  the  same  would  be  acceptable. 
The  Parish  Committee  were  authorized  to  confer  with  Mr.  Fearing 
on  the  subject  and  to  accept  any  such  proposed  gift.  1870,  October 
5,  the  committee  presented  the  following 

REPORT: 

The  Parish  Committee  wli<>  were  authorized  by  vote  of  the  Parish 
to  receive  of  the  Hon.  Albert  Fearing  a  deed  of  gift  of  a  piece  of  land 
adjoining  the  Parish  land,  report  that  they  have  received  a  deed  of 


57 


said  land  and  herewith  present  the  same  to  the  Parish.  -  And  your 
committee  would  recommend  in  the  acceptance  of  this  gift  the 
following  votes : 

Voted,  That  the  First  Parish  in  Hingham,  in  Parish  meeting 
assembled,  gratefully  accept  the  gift  of  a  piece  of  land  described  in  a 
deed  of  the  same  by  Hon.  Albert  Fearing,  dated  August  22,  1870, 
according  to  and  subject  to  the  conditions  and  provisions  therein 
mentioned,  and  return  to  him  thanks  of  acknowledgment  for  this 
munificent  gift,  recognizing  herein  another  among  the  many  acts  of 
liberality  which  have  marked  the  life-long  interest  he  has  manifested 
in  the  prosperity  of  this  ancient  Parish. 

Voted,  That  this  gift  has  a  peculiar  value  to  the  Parish,  found  in 
the  recital  of  the  deed,  "  being  a  part  of  the  land  granted  to  Robert 
Peck,  Teacher  of  the  First  Church  in  Hingham,  in  the  year  1638," 
so  that  land  appropriated  by  the  Town,  (at  that  time  being  identical 
with  the  Parish,)  for  the  purpose  of  furthering  religious  instruction 
among  the  people,  has  again,  through  the  liberality  of  a  descendant 
of  one  of  those,  for  whose  benefit  among  the  others,  this  land  was 
devoted,  been  returned  to  complete  the  purpose  of  its  original  grant. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 


John  K.  Corthell,  )        Parish 
Quincy  Bicknell.    j     Committee. 


Hingham,  September  30,  1870. 


The  above  report  was  accepted,  and  the  Clerk  was  requested  to 
communicate  the  same  to  Mr.  Fearing. 

At  the  same  meeting,  a  committee  to  whom  had  been  referred  the 
subject  of  grading  the  Parish  grounds,  and  for  the  erection  of  a 
building  suitable  to  accommodate  horses  and  carriages,  made  a  report. 
The  committee  presented  a  plan  which  would  enable  the  Parish  to 
meet  the  wishes  of  the  citizens  of  the  town,  often  expressed,  for  the 
widening  and  reducing  the  grade  of  Main  street  in  front  of  the  Parish 
lands.  They  recommended  a  release  by  the  Parish  to.  the  town,  of  so 
much  of  the  land  of  the  former,  as  was  designated,  and  to  establish 
a  new  line  on  the  street,  provided  the  town  would  cause  a  suitable 
wall  to  be  built  to  protect  the  Parish  lands  on  the  said  line.     The 


58 


committee  also  recommended  the  erection  of  a  building  on  the  lot 
given  by  Hon.  Albert  Fearing,  for  the  shelter  of  horses  and  carriages, 
ninety  feet  long,  and  forty-three  feet  and  six  inches  wide,  with  ten 
feet  posts,  at  an  estimated  cost  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars. 

This  report  was  referred  to  the  Parish  Committee  and  Ebed  S. 
Ripley,  Ezra  Stephenson  and  Seth  L.  Hobart,  with  instructions  to 
proceed  at  once  to  grade  the  grounds  and  erect  a  carriage  house  as 
proposed,  but  if  they  should  deem  it  advisable  to  deviate  from  the 
plan,  thereby  materially  increasing  the  expense,  to  make  report  to 
the  Parish  before  proceeding  with  the  work.  At  the  annual 
meeting  held  March  13,  1871,  the  committee  reported  that  the  work 
was  finished.  The  grounds  had  been  graded,  a  carriage  house 
erected,  suitable  fences  and  walls  built,  and  the  platform  around  the 
Meeting-house  enlarged,  the  cost  of  which  including  certaiii  incidental 
expenses,  amounted  to  $2,381.49.  The  report  was  accepted  by  the 
Parish,  and  provision  made  for  defraying  the  expense.  The  stalls 
in  the  new  building  (twenty  in  number)  were  let  by  auction  and  have 
since  been  disposed  of  in  the  same  manner,  or  by  the  Parish 
Committee,  by  virtue  of  a  special  vote  of  the  Parish. 

At  a  Parish  meeting  held  September  18,  1871,  a  vote  was  passed 
giving  consent  that  the  wall  proposed  to  be  built  by  the  town  on 
the  line  of  the  Parish  land  on  Main  street,  or  such  part  of  it  as  is 
necessary,  be  built  upon  the  Parish  ground,  the  face  of  the  capping 
of  the  same  to  be  on  the  line  of  the  street ;  the  style  of  the  capping 
to  be  referred  to  a  committee  consisting  of  the  Parish  Committee 
together  with  Seth  L.  Hobart,  James  S.  Lewis  and  Caleb  B.  Marsh, 
with  authority  to  act  in  the  premises  as  they  may  deem  advisable, 
and  also  to  grade  the  grounds  to  conform  to  the  wall. 

At  the  same  meeting  it  was  voted,  that  a  fence  be  built  upon  the 
wall  such  as  the  same  committee  may  deem  suitable. 

At  the  annual  meeting,  held  March  G,  1872,  the  committee 
appointed  September  f8,  1871,  to  take  charge  of  capping  to  be 
placed  upon  the  wall  on  Main  street,  to  procure  a  suitable  fence  to 
surmount  said  wall,  and  to  complete  the  grading  of  the  grounds 
around  the  Meeting-house,  reported  to  the  Parish  that  they  had 
completed  the  work  so  far  as  practicable,  on  account  of  the  severity 
of  the  season,  at  an  expense  of  $81G.80,  but  that  to  complete  the 
work  of  grading,  painting  the  fence,  and  setting  out  suitable  trees  on 
the  grounds  and  on  the  va\^h  of  the  side-walk  in  front,  a  further 
expenditure  would  Ik;  necessary,  estimated  at  $275.  The  report  was 
accepted;  the  committee  continued  and  authorized  to  carry  out  their 


59 


plan.     Twelve  maple  trees  were  planted  on  the  edge  of  the  side-walk, 
in  May,  1872,  under  the  direction  of  George  Lincoln. 

1873,  March,  the  Parish  appointed  a  committee  consisting  of  John 
Todd,  George  Lincoln  and  Seth  L.  Hobart,  to  take  into  consideration 
the  improvement  of  the  grounds  on  the  south  side  of  the  "  Church 
edifice,"  and  report  a  plan  and  the  estimated  expense  of  the  same, 
at  a  meeting  to  be  held  in  April.  At  the  April  meeting,  the 
committee  reported  a  plan  for  improving  the  grade  of  the  Parish 
grounds  at  an  estimated  expense  of  one  thousand  dollars.  John  Todd, 
George  Lincoln,  Seth  L.  Hobart,  Albert  Fearing  and  Solomon 
Lincoln,  were  chosen  a  committee  with  full  powers  to  carry  out  the 
improvement  recommended  by  the  committee.  The  work  on  this 
improvement  is  now  in  progress ;  and  when  completed,  will  doubtless 
add  to  the  convenience  and  beauty  of  the  grounds. 

We  have  thus  presented  such  facts  respecting  the  Meeting-house 
as  we  have  collected  from  various  public  records,  private  manuscripts 
and  authentic  traditions,  in  chronological  order,  to  enable  those  who 
are  interested  in  its  history,  to  know  what  has  been  done  for  its 
preservation  and  what  are  its  present  appearance  and  condition. 

The  whole  house  has  been  put  in  a  thorough  state  of  repair  from 
spire  to  basement ;  the  outside  has  been  clapboarded  and  painted. 
New  windows  have  been  inserted  and  glazed  with  diamond  glass, 
which,  so  far,  is  a  restoration  of  the  form  of  the  original  sashes.  The 
foundation  has  been  rebuilt,  and  the  grounds  graded.  Inside  we  find 
much  that  is  old  and  some  work  that  is  new.  The  floor  is  new,  so 
also  are  the  pews  or  slips,  and  the  organ.  The  substantial  columns 
which  sustain  the  galleries  and  roof  remain  as  formerly.  The 
galleries  are  untouched.  The  pulpit,  built  in  1755,  still  remains  in 
the  same  position,  and  the  ancient  sounding-board  over  it,  is  also 
preserved.  The  curious  frame  of  oak  which  sustains  the  roof,  belfry 
and  spire,  and  which  is  as  old  as  the  Meeting-house  itself,  remains  as 
our  fathers  left  it.  A  spacious  basement  has  been  constructed  for 
the  reception  of  two  large  furnaces  set  in  brick  by  which  the  whole 
house  is  comfortably  heated.  Lamps  have  been  suspended  for  light- 
ing the  house,  for  evening  worship,  which  diffuse  a  cheerful  and 
mellow  light  throughout  the  house.  The  Old  and  the  New  are  most 
judiciously  harmonized  in  all  the  arrangements ;  and  there  is  no 
reason  why  the  fabric,  which  has  stood  firmly  through  the  storms  and 
tempests  of  nearly  two  centuries,  should  not  stand  for  two  centuries 
to  come.     In  the  words  of  the  motto  on  the  Parish  Seal, 

"LET  THE  WORK  OF  OUR  FATHERS    STAND." 


eo 


Having  given  so  much  of  the  history  of  the  Meeting-house  as 
seemed  to  be  desirable  to  preserve  in  a  permanent  form,  we  think  it 
proper  to  give  other  information,  derived  from  the  records  and  other 
authentic  sources,  intimately  connected  with  that  history,  and  conven- 
ient also  for  reference. 


MINISTERS. 


In  connection  with  notes  upon  the  history  of  the  Meeting-houses 
of  the  First  Parish,  it  seems  proper  to  give  the  names  of  the  Pastors 
who  have  officiated  in  them.  The  town  was  formally  settled  in  1 635. 
In  September  of  that  year,  house  lots  were  drawn  by  thirty  persons, 
most  of  whom  came  from  Hingham  and  its  vicinity,  in  the  County  of 
Norfolk,  England.  Among  them  was  Rev.  Peter  Hobart,  who 
became  their  Pastor,  and  remained  with  them  until  his  death. 

We  give  the  subjoined  list  of  Pastors,  with  a  brief  notice  of 
prominent  facts  in  their  history,  not  designing  to  give  any  extended 
sketches  of  their  lives,  which  may  be  found  elsewhere.  We  do  not 
include  in  the  list,  Rev.  Robert  Peck,  who  came  over  in  1638,  was 
ordained  "  Teacher "  of  the  Church,  and  returned  to  Hingham, 
England,  in  1641. 

I.  REV.  PETER  IIOBART,  son  of  Edmund  and  Margaret 
(Dewy)  Hobart,  was  born  in  Hingham,  England,  where  he  was 
baptized  October  13,  1604.  He  was  educated  at  Magdalen  College, 
Cambridge,  where  he  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor,  in  1 625,  and 
of  Master  of  Arts,  in  1629.  He  was  married  in  England,  and  came 
to  this  country  with  his  wife  and  four  children,  and  arrived  in  June, 
1635.  lie  settled  in  this  town  in  September,  of  that  year.  He  was 
twice  married,  the  last  wife  being  Rebecca,  daughter  of  Richard 
Ibrook.  Mr.  Hobart  had  a  large  family  of  children.  He  names 
fifteen  in  his  will,  live  of  whom  were  educated  at  Harvard  College. 
Two  of  Ins  grandsons  were  also  educated  at  the  same  institution. 
Four  of  the  sons  and  the  two  grandsons  were  ministers.  Mr.  Hobart 
was  Pastor  <>f  the  church  until  his  decease',  January  20,  1678-9,  in 
the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age,  and  forty-fourth  of  his  ministry. 


61 


II.  REV.  JOHN  NORTON  was  the  second  minister  of  Hingham. 
He  was  a  son  of  William  and  Lucy  (Downing)  Norton,  of  Ipswich, 
in  which  town  he  was  born,  about  1650.  He  was  educated  at  Har- 
vard College,  and  was  graduated  in  1671.  He  was  a  nephew  of 
Rev.  John  Norton,  the  distinguished  minister  of  Ipswich  and  Boston. 
Pie  was  ordained  Colleague  Pastor  with  Mr.  Hobart,  November  27, 
1678,  less  than  two  months  before  the  decease  of  the  latter.  Mr. 
Norton  was  married  to  Mary,  a  daughter  of  Arthur  Mason,  of  Boston, 
and  left  two  children, —  Elizabeth  Norton,  who  married  Col.  John 
Quincy,  and  Capt.  John  Norton.  The  descendants  in  both  male  and 
female  lines  have  been  prominent  in  politics,  theology,  and  literature. 
Mr.  Norton  died  October  3,  1716,  in  the  sixty-sixth  year  of  his  age 
and  thirty-eighth  of  his   ministry. 

III.  REV.  EBENEZER  GAY,  D.  D.,  the  third  minister,  was 
a  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Lydia  Gay,  of  Dedham,  and  was  born  in 
that  town,  August  15,  1696.  He  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College 
in  1714.  He  had  four  classmates  from  Hingham,  viz.:  Samuel 
Thaxter,  Nehemiah  Hobart,  Adam  dishing  and  Job  Cashing.  Dr. 
Gay  began  to  preach  in  Hingham  in  1717,  and  was  ordained  Pastor, 
June  11,  1718.  He  was  married  November  3,  1719,  to  Jerusha, 
daughter  of  Samuel  Bradford,  of  Duxbury,  the  son  of  William 
Bradford,  and  the  grandson  of  Governor  Bradford.  They  had  eleven 
children,  of  whom  seven  died  before  their  father,  and  two  sons  and 
two  daughters  survived  him.  Some  of  the  descendants  have  been 
well  known  in  the  professions  of  law  and  medicine,  as  well  as  in 
literature  and  art.  Dr.  Gay  died  on  Sabbath  morning,  March  8, 
1787,  when  he  was  preparing  for  the  usual  public  services  of  the  day. 
He  was  attacked  by  a  sudden  illness,  which  terminated  fatally  within 
an  hour.  He  was  ninety  years  old,  and  the  length  of  his  ministry 
was  sixty-eight  years  nine  months  and  seven  days,  and  including  the 
time  of  his  preaching  before  his  settlement,  his  ministry  falls  short, 
by  a  few  months  only,  of  seventy  years. 

IV.  REV.  HENRY  WARE,  D.  D.,  the  fourth  minister,  was  a 
son  of  John  and  Martha  Ware,  of  Sherborn,  and  was  born  in  that 
town,  April  1,  1764.  He  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  in 
1785,  and  ordained  Pastor,  October  24,  1787.  In  1805,  he  was 
chosen  Hollis  Professor  of  Divinity,  in  Harvard  College  ;  the 
appointment  was  confirmed  by  the  Overseers  on  the  14th  of  February 


62 


of  that  year.  In  consequence  of  this  appointment,  he  asked  a 
dismission  from  the  pastorate,  which  was  granted  by  the  Parish,  and 
he  delivered  his  valedictory  discourse,  May  5,  1805,  in  the  eighteenth 
year  of  his  ministry. 

Dr.  Ware  discharged  the  duties  of  his  professorship  until  1840,  in 
which  year  he  resigned  the  position,  on  account  of  a  failure  of  eye- 
sight, after  a  laborious  and  acceptable  service  of  thirty-five  years. 

Dr.  Ware  was  thrice  married.  In  1789,  March  31,  he  was  married 
to  Mary,  daughter  of  Rev.  Jonas  Clark,  of  Lexington,  who  died  July 
13,  1805,  having  been  the  mother  of  ten  children, — seven  daughters 
and  three  sons.  He  was  married  a  second  time,  to  Mary,  daughter 
of  James  Otis,  and  widow  of  Benjamin  Lincoln,  Junior.  She  died 
on  the  17th  of  the  same  month.  He  was  married  a  third  time,  in 
September,  1807,  to  Elizabeth  Bowes,  daughter  of  Nicholas  Bowes, 
of  Boston,  who  became  the  mother  of  nine  children,  five  sons  and 
four  daughters.  Six  of  Dr.  Ware's  sons  were  graduated  at  Harvard 
College,  and  his  sons  and  grandsons  have  been  distinguished  in  the 
professions,  and  in  the  walks  of  literature  and  science.  Dr.  Ware 
died  at  Cambridge,  July  12,  1845,  aged  eighty-one. 

V.  REV.  JOSEPH  RICHARDSON,  fifth  minister,  was  a  son 
of  Joseph  and  Patty  (Chapman)  Richardson,  of  Billerica,  and  was 
born  in  that  town,  February  1,  1778.  He  was  graduated  at  Dart- 
mouth College,  in  1802,  and  ordained  Pastor,  July  2,  1806.  During 
his  ministry,  he  was  chosen  to  fill  various  public  offices.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  convention  called  to  revise  the  State  Constitution,  in 
1820-21.  He  was  a  member,  by  repeated  elections,  of  the  Senate 
and  House  of  Representatives  of  Massachusetts,  and  was  elected  to 
Congress  for  the  term  commencing  March  4,  1827,  and  re-elected  for 
that  commencing  March  4,  1829. 

At  the  close  of  his  Congressional  service,  he  resumed  and  attended 
to  his  parochial  duties,  without  interruption,  except  from  ill  health, 
when  the  Parish  relieved  him  by  temporary  supplies  of  the  pulpit, 
until  the  spring  of  1855,  when,  with  his  consent  and  approval,  Rev. 
Calvin  Lincoln,  was  settled  as  Associate  Pastor.  The  services  of 
inducting  Mr.  Lincoln  into  this  office  were  performed  May  27th,  1855, 
on  which  occasion,  Mr.  Richardson  and  Mr.  Lincoln  each  preached 
an  appropriate  sermon. 

After  this  date,  Air.  Richardson  occasionally  preached,  and  per- 
formed other  parochial  services.  We  mention  some;  of  his  discourses 
ami  sermons  on  Bpecial  occasions. 


63 


1856,  June  28.  He  delivered  a  discourse  on  the  close  of  the  fiftieth 
year  of  his  ministry,  which  was  printed. 

1862,  February  2.  He  preached  a  sermon  on  the  Sabbath  after 
the  eighty-fourth  anniversary  of  his  birth. 

1863,  February  1.  A  sermon  written  by  Mr.  Richardson  the  pre- 
ceding week,  for  the  occasion  of  the  eighty-fifth  anniversary  of  his 
birth,  was  read  by  the  Associate  Pastor.  His  text  was  from  Joshua, 
XIV,  10.  "And  now,  lo  I  am  this  day  four  score  and  Jive  years 
old"  Dr.  Gay  preached  his  celebrated  sermon  entitled  "  The  Old 
Man's  Calendar,"  from  the  same  text,  at  the  same  age,  from  the 
same  pulpit.  Both  the  sermons,  were  printed.  Mr.  Richardson  also 
prepared  discourses  for  the  Sabbaths  after  the  86th  and  87th  anniver- 
saries of  his  birth,  which  were  read  by  the  Associate  Pastor.  He  was 
present  at  the  re-opening  of  the  Meeting-house,  September  8,  1869, 
as  has  been  mentioned ;  and  attended  public  worship,  for  the  last  time 
on  Sabbath  morning,  October  3,  1869.  The  infirmities  of  age 
increased,  he  had  become  blind,  yet  his  strong  constitution  did  not 
yield,  until  September  25,  1871,  when  he  died  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
three  years  seven  months  and  twenty -four  days,  and  closing  a  pastoral 
connection  of  sixty-five  years,  two  months  and  twenty-three  days. 

Mr.  Richardson  was  married  May  23,  1807,  to  Ann,  daughter  of 
Benjamin  Bowers,  of  Billerica.  She  was  born  in  that  town,  March 
14,  1785,  and  died  September  16,  1870,  aged  eighty-seven  years  six 
months,  and  two  days.     They  had  no  children. 

VI.  REV.  CALVIN  LINCOLN,  the  present  Pastor,  is  the 
sixth  minister  of  the  Parish.  He  is  a  native  of  Hingham,  a  son  of 
Calvin  and  Linda  (Loring)  Lincoln,  and  a  lineal  descendant  of 
Stephen  Lincoln,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  the  town.  Mr.  Lincoln 
was  graduated  at  Harvard  College,  in  1820,  was  ordained  over  the 
First  Parish  in  Fitchburg,  June  30,  1824;  his  active  ministry  there 
terminated  June  15,  1850;  and  his  pastoral  connection  was  dissolved 
May  5,  1855,  a  short  time  before  his  induction  to  the  pastoral  office 
in  this  Parish.  The  length  of  his  ministry  here  exceeds  that  of  Dr. 
Ware.  We  forbear,  for  obvious  reasons,  to  enlarge  upon  the  personal 
history  of  our  respected  Pastor,  and  leave  to  others,  at  some  future 
time,  more  appropriate  than  the  present,  to  speak  of  his  life  and 
character. 

We  close  these  brief  minutes  respecting  the  ministers  of  the  Parish, 
with  a  list  of  their  names,  with  the  years  in  which  their  pastoral 
connections  began  and  terminated. 


64 


I.     Peter  Hobart, 1635-1679. 

II.     John  Norton, 1678-1716. 

III.  Ebenezer  Gay, 1718-1787. 

IV.  Henry  Ware, 1787-1805. 

V.     Joseph  Richardson, 1806-1871. 

VI.     Calvin  Lincoln,  . 1855. 


This  is  a  remarkable  statement ;  we  think  no  similar  one  can  be 
presented  by  any  other  Parish  or  Society  in  New  England.  Four  of 
the  ministers  died  in  this  town,  and  their  remains  repose  in  the 
Hingham  Cemetery.  One  only,  (Dr.  Ware,)  died  out  of  this  town ; 
and  the  last  is  still  living,  actively  engaged  in  the  discharge  of  his 
pastoral  duties.  It  is  proper,  in  this  connection,  to  state  that  after 
the  decease  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richardson,  the  Parish  purchased  a  lot 
in  the  Hingham  Cemetery,  and  have  caused  an  appropriate  marble 
monument  to  be  erected  therein,  to  the  memory  of  all  their  deceased 
Pastors:  Hobart,  Norton,  Gay,  Ware  and  Richardson, — and  a  marble 
memorial  stone,  appropriately  inscribed,  at  the  graves  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Richardson  and  his  wife. 


SINGING;   CHOIR;    HYMN  BOOKS 
AND    ORGAN. 


Intimately  associated  with  our  ancient  Meeting-house,  are  the 
services  which  have  been  performed  in  it.  Of  them,  the  singing  of 
songs  of  praise  to  Almighty  God  is  an  interesting  part,  and  we  have 
felt  a  strong  desire  to  know  more  of  what  our  fathers  did  to  promote 
an  interest  and  cultivate  a  taste  for  this  important  part  of  public 
worship.  The  voices  of  at  least  seven  generations  have  sounded 
within  its  sacred  walls.  We  arc  aware  of  the  intense  feelings  which 
prevailed  in  relation  to  Psalmody  at  the  settlement  of  the  country, 
and  what  bitter  controversies  arose  at  every  stage  of  improvement. 


65 


The  Pilgrims  of  Plymouth  brought  over  music  to  enliven  the 
solitude  of  the  wilderness.  It  is  believed  that  they  had  but  one 
book,  and  that  was  the  Manual  of  Henry  Ainsworth.  It  was  entitled 
"The  Book  of  Psalms  Englished  both  in  Prose  and  Meeter"  The 
prose  was  printed  on  the  left-hand  page ;  the  poetry,  with  the  music 
over  it,  on  the  right.  This  manual  was  used  in  Plymouth,  so  late 
as  1692. 

The  Puritans,  who  settled  Massachusetts,  undoubtedly  used  the 
version  of  the  Psalms  by  Sternhold  and  Hopkins,  "  done  into  verse 
and  set  to  music,"  and  this  version  was  used  by  many  churches.  It 
should  be  remarked,  that  the  early  settlers  of  New  England  always 
sang  congregationally ;  and  continued  to  do  so  for  more  than  a 
century,  and  in  some  places,  until  the  Revolution.  In  a  few  churches 
singing  was  excluded  altogether. 

In  1640,  five  years  after  this  town  was  settled,  Stephen  Daye 
printed,  at  Cambridge,  a  new  translation  of  tn-e  Psalms.  Cotton 
Mather  says  that  "  the  chief  divines  in  the  country  took  each  of  them 
a  portion  to  be  translated  ;  among  whom  were  Mr.  Weld  and  Mr. 
Eliot,  of  Roxbury,  and  Mr.  Mather,  of  Dorchester."  Its  popular 
title  was  the  "The  Bay  Psalm  Book"  but  the  title-page  of  the  first 
edition  is  "The  Whole  Book  of  Psalms  Faithfully  Translated  into 
English  Metre"  etc.  In  this  edition  there  were  no  hymns  or  spiritual 
songs.  A  second  edition,  in  1647,  contained  a  few  spiritual  songs. 
In  the  same  year  Rev.  John  Cotton  wrote  his  "  Singing  of  Psalms 
a  Gospel  Ordinance"  which  had  an  influence  to  extend  the  use  of 
the  Bay  Psalm  Book,  which  gradually  made  its  way  into  the  public 
services.  A  third  edition  of  it,  revised  by  President  Dunster,  was 
published  in  1650.  This  version  went  through  numerous  editions, 
was  reprinted  in  England  and  Scotland,  and  used  by  many  of  the 
English  dissenting  congregations.  It  was  added  to  several  English 
and  Scotch  editions  of  the  Bible.  This  edition  contained  additional 
scriptural  songs. 

Rev.  Thomas  Prince  revised  the  Bay  Psalm  Book,  in  1758,  several 
editions  of  which  were  published,  and  used  in  churches  even  up  to 
the  commencement  of  the  present  century.  The  title-page  of  the 
first  edition  of  Prince's  revision  was  "The  Psalms,  Hymns  §  Spiritual 
Songs  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament  Faithfully  Translated  into 
English  Metre,  —  Being  the  New-England  Psalm  Book,  Revised 
and   Improved"  etc. 

Prior  to  this  publication  of  the  Bay  Psalm  Book,  by  Pi  mce,  the 
version   of  the  Psalms    by  Tate   &    Brady,  had    been   published  in 

9 


66 


London.  The  title-page  of  the  first  edition  of  this  well  known 
version  was  as  follows:  "A  Neiv  Version  of  the  Psalms  of  David 
Fitted  to  the  Tunes  used  in  Churches. — By  N.  Tate  and  N.  Brady, 
London,  169G. 

In  the  second  edition  also,  the  name  of  Tate  precedes  that  of  Brady, 
but  the  Royal  license  for  printing,  of  December  3,  169G,  is  granted 
upon  the  humble  petition  of  Nicolas  Brady  and  Nahum  Tate,  and  in 
subsequent  editions,  the  names  are  printed  in  the  same  order. 

An  edition  of  Watts's  Psalms  and  Hymns,  wTas  published  in  Boston, 
in  1741. 

We  have  thus  given  a  brief  account  of  the  principal  versions  of 
the  psalms  and  hymns  which  were  used  for  the  first  century  and  a 
half  after  the  settlement  of  the  country.  For  many  of  these  facts 
wo  are  indebted  to  Charles  Deane,  Esq.,  of  Cambridge,  who  has  a 
rare  collection  of  the  early  Psalm  and  Hymn  Books ;  and  also  to 
Rev.  Elias  Nason,  of  North  Billerica,  by  whose  kindness  we  have 
enjoyed  the  privilege  of  perusing  his  interesting  Lecture,  in  manu- 
script, on  New  England  Psalmody. 

We  have  made  diligent  inquiry  for  a  copy  of  either  of  the  collections 
which  we  have  mentioned,  and  have  not  succeeded  in  finding  a  single 
one  of  the  early  editions  of  either  of  them  in  the  possession  of  any 
person  in  this  town,  excepting  that  of  Tate  &  Brady,  of  which  there 
are  several  copies  in  existence,  to  which  we  shall  hereafter  make 
more  particular  reference. 

The  mode  of  performing  the  exercise  of  singing  was  generally  the 
same  in  all  churches.  As  books  were  few,  while  ruling  elders  were 
continued,  one  of  them  read  a  single  line  and  such  of  the  congregation 
as  could  sing  arose  in  different  parts  of  the  Meeting-house  and  sung  it, 
and  then  another  line  until  the  psalm  or  hymn  was  finished.  In  later 
times,  when  no  such  officers  were  chosen,  a  deacon  and  sometimes  the 
minister  performed  the  same  duty. 

We  have  no  records  of  an  early  date  to  show  how  the  subject  of 
Psalmody  was  regarded  in  this  Parish.  We  have  reason  to  believe, 
however,  that  Peter  Hobart,  the  first  minister,  was  not  indifferent  to 
it,  for  Cotton  Mather,  in  his  appreciative  biographical  sketch  of  Mr. 
Hobart,  says,  that  during  his  last  illness,  "the  singing  of  psalms  was 
an  exercise  wherein  ho  took  a  particular  delight ;"  saying  "that  it  was 
the  work  of  Heaven,  which  he  was  willing  to  anticipate." 

It  is  quite  probable  thai  the  versions  of  the  psalms  by  Sternhold 
and  Hopkins  printed  with  the  Bible,  to  which  we  have  alluded,  may 

have  been   used. 


67 


Nothing  with  reference  to  the  musical  part  of  the  service  occurs  in 
the  records  of  the  Parish,  until  1763,  when,  on  the  8th  of  April,  a 
meeting  was  held  "  in  order  to  see  whether  the  said  Parish  will  assign 
any  perticular  place,  seat  or  seats  where  a  number  of  persons  skilled 
in  Musick  may  set  together  that  so  that  part  of  Religious  exercise  may 
be  performed  with  decency  and  order." 

At  this  meeting  it  was  voted  "  that  Mr.  Gay  be  desired  to  invite 
one  or  more  to  set  in  ye  seat  behind  the  Deacons'  to  strike  first  in 
singing,"  and  further  "  that  a  part  of  the  womans'  front  seat  aud  ye 
second  seat,  not  exceeding  one  half  of  each,  be  seperated  for  ye  use 
of  the  singers." 

No  mention  is  made  of  the  persons  selected  by  Mr.  Gay.  That  the 
request,  however,  was  complied  with,  is  confirmed  by  the  fact  that  the 
Parish,  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  following  June,  declined  to  add  one 
or  more  "to  the  number  of  singers  already  in  ye  seat,  behind  the 
Deacons'  seat." 

Fifteen  years  afterwards,  in  May,  1778,  it  was  voted  "that  the  two 
hindermost  seats  in  the  bodv  of  the  Meeting-house,  both  men's  & 
women's,  be  appropriated  to  the  use  of  the  singers ;"  and  in  the 
following  September,  the  portion  thus  set  off  was  further  enlarged  by 
a  vote  "  that  the  three  hindermost  seats  in  the  Meeting-house  be 
appropriated  to  the  singers  and  that  they  have  liberty  to  make  doors 
&  flaps  of  bords  to  each  seat. "  This  arrangement,  from  some 
unexplained  reason,  was  of  brief  duration  ;  for  in  the  year  following, 
on  the  8th  of  November,  the  Parish  voted  "to  indulge  the  singers  a 
Liberty  to  set  in  the  front  gallery  where  it  best  suited  them." 

The  permission  thus  granted  was  probably  accepted  on  the  part  of 
the  choir,  and  at  or  near  this  time  the  removal  of  the  singers  from  the 
body  of  the  house  to  the  gallery  took  place. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  unimportant  votes  relating  to  the 
alteration  of  the  seats  and  the  appropriation  of  a  small  sum  of  money 
for  the  benefit  of  the  singers  in  the  Parish  for  procuring  fire-wood, 
candles,  etc.,  for  their  accommodation  at  their  meetings,  nothing  of 
interest  occurs  in  the  records,  until  1799,  when,  on  the  11th  of  March, 
a  committee  of  seven  was  chosen  for  the  purpose  of  laying  "  some  plan 
that  will  best  accommodate  &  promote  the  singing  &  unite  the 
singers."  At  a  subsequent  meeting  in  April,  this  committee  was 
continued  with  additional  instructions  with  regard  to  procuring  a 
"room,  fireing  and  candles,"  and  also  with  the  further  provision  that 
if  it  should  be  found   "  that  the  school-house  will  not  accommodate 


G8 


them  the  committee  might  provide  some  other  room  at  the  expense  of 
the  Parish." 

On  the  10th  of  March  of  the  next  year,  1800,  the  committee 
submitted  a  report  which  was  accepted,  "  with  this  addition,  that  the 
15  singers  are  to  procure  a  teacher." 

There  can  be  little  doubt  that  from  1763,  the  time  of  the  selection 
by  Dr.  Gay  of  three  persons  "to  strike  first  in  singing,"  to  1800,  the 
number  who  participated  in  this  part  of  the  service  gradually  increased, 
until,  as  appears  from  the  foregoing  vote,  fifteen  persons  were  included 
in  the  choir. 

In  1801,  March  0,  it  was  voted  "that  the  Parish  be  at  the  expense 
of  purchasing  a  Bass-viol  and  commit  it  to  Barnabas  Lincoln,  to  be 
used  by  him  or  his  family  in  the. Meeting-house  to  assist  the  melody, 
and  that  Mr.  Barnabas  Lincoln  be  invited  to  assist  in  leading  the  bass." 

This  is  the  first  record  we  find  of  any  action  by  the  Parish  to 
encourage  the  introduction  of  any  musical  instrument  to  aid  in  the 
performances  by  the  choir. 

The  bass-viol  (violoncello)  was  continued  in  use  from  its  first 
introduction  until  1867.  Various  other  musical  instruments  were 
used  from  time  to  time,  and  among  them  were  the  clarionet,  double 
bass-viol,  tenor-viol,  violin,  bassoon  and  flute.  The  flute  and  bass-viol 
were  principally  relied  on  to  give  harmony  and  effect  to  the  musical 
performances.  These  were  in  the  hands  of  several  persons  in 
succession,  who  voluntarily  assumed  the  charge  of  performing  upon 
them. 

1809,  March  24,  the  Parish  voted  "that  the  singers  have  the  use 
of  the  whole  of  the  front  gallery."  1825,  March  8,  voted  "  that  the 
leader  of  the  singers  have  the  use  of  pew  No.  67,  on  the  lower  floor." 

It  was  not  customary  for  the  Parish,  until  a  later  period,  to  make 
any  formal  election  of  a  chorister.  The  singing  was  regulated  by  the 
members  of  the  choir,  in  conjunction  with  the  Parish  Committee,  and 
sometimes  by  a  special  committee.  The  whole  service  was  voluntary 
and  gratuitous.  The  Parish  occasionally  granted  aid.  to  singing 
schools  and  adopted  other  measures  to  promote  the  "improvement  of 
the  singing." 

1858,  March  (.»,  the  Parish  voted  "that  Rev.  Mr.  Lincoln  be 
requested  to  select  a  hymn,  at  the  close  of  the  forenoon  and  afternoon 
services  of  the  Sabbath,  adapted  to  be  snug  in  a  familiar  time,  that  the 
congregation  may  join  with  the  choir  in  singing." 


69 


ORGAN. 

In  1867,  the  subject  of  introducing  an  Organ,  as  a  substitute  for 
other  musical  instruments,  was  discussed  by  those  interested  in 
improving  this  part  of  public  worship,  and  the  proposition  met  with 
so  much  favor,  that  measures  were  taken  to  procure  one  of  moderate 
cost.  At  the  annual  meeting,  held  March  6,  this  vote  was  passed : 
"  That  the  consent  of  the  Parish  is  hereby  given  to  the  erection  of 
an'  Organ  in  the  gallery  of  the  Meeting-house."  At  the  same 
meeting,  John  K.  Corthell,  John  M.  Corbett  and  Henry  Siders,  were 
chosen  a  committee  "  to  have  full  charge  of  the  Music,  with  authority 
to  re-organize  the  Choir,  and  make  such  other  arrangements  as  may 
seem  to  them  best." 

This  proceeding  virtually  dissolved  the  old  Choir ;  and  David  A. 
Hersey,  who  had  performed  on  the  bass-viol  for  nearly  half  a 
century,  with  admirable  skill  and  fidelity,  and  Sidney  Sprague,  whose 
performances  on  the  flute,  for  thirty-six  years,  had  been  so  acceptable 
and  gratifying  to  the  Parish,  closed  their  services.  The  Parish,  very 
properly,  recognized  the  value  of  their  services,  by  passing  the 
following  vote :  "  Voted,  That  the  thanks  of  the  members  of  the 
Parish  be  given  to  Mr.  David  A.  Hersey,  Mr.  Sidney  Sprague,  Mr. 
Israel  AVhitcomb  and  the  other  members  of  the  Choir,  for  their  long 
continued,  faithful  and  satisfactory  services,"  Mr.  "Whitcomb  had  been 
for  some  time,  leader  of  the  Choir. 

1867,  March  10,  was  the  last  Sabbath,  on  which  the  old  Choir 
performed  their  services.  On  the  24th  of  the  same  month,  a  small 
Organ  was  used,  which  was  loaned  for  the  purpose,  by  the  Old  Colony 
Lodge  of  Freemasons;  and  on  the  next  Sabbath,  the  Organ,  which 
had  been  purchased  and  placed  in  the  gallery,  was  used  for  the  first 
time.     Reuben  Sprague  officiated  as  organist. 

1868,  March  11,  the  Committee  on  Singing  was  abolished;  and  a 
Chorister  was  elected  by  the  Parish,  at  the  annual  meeting.  Gen. 
Luther  Stephenson,  Jun.,  was  elected,  and  has  been  re-elected  annually 
to  this  time,  1873. 

In  1869,  that  part  of  the  report  of  the  Committee  en  Repairs 
was  adopted,  in  which  was  this  proposition:  "That  the  location  of 
the  Choir  and  Organ  should  be  such  that  they  may  best  serve  the 
purpose  for  which  they  were  designed  and  instituted,  and  we  there- 
fore deem  it  expedient,  that  the  Choir  and  Organ  be  located  upon 
the  platform  on  the  Easterly  side  of  the  pulpit."  This  proposition 
was  carried  into  effect. 


70 


1870,  January  20,  the  Parish  voted,  "  That  it  be  recommended  to 
the  officiating  Pastor  to  ask  the  Congregation  to  adopt  the  form  of 
Congregational  singing,  for  the  closing  hymn  of  the  morning 
service,  the  tune  to  be  announced  and  the  whole  Congregation 
rising." 

1870,  July  1,  at  a  Parish  meeting,  it  was  voted,  that  the  Parish 
purchase  an  Organ,  to  be  placed  in  the  Meeting-house,  at  an  expense 
not  exceeding  Twenty-one  hundred  dollars,  provided  that  all  such 
sum  or  sums  of  money  as  have  already  been  subscribed  or  which  may 
hereafter  be  subscribed  towards  that  purpose,  be  paid  into  the  Parish 
treasury ;  also  that  the  old  Organ  be  sold  and  the  proceeds  of  such 
sale  be  paid  into  the  Parish  treasury.  Voted,  that  a  committee  of 
three  be  chosen  with  full  powers  to  carry  out  the  provisions  of  the 
above  vote,  said  committee  to  consist  of  E.  Waters  Burr,  Ebed  S. 
Ripley  and  Luther  Stephenson,  Jun.  In  accordance  with  this  vote,  an 
Organ  was  procured  which  was  built  by  J.  H.  Willcox  &  Co.,  of 
Boston,  placed  in  its  position  in  the  Meeting-house,  and  used  for  the 
first  time,  in  the  services  of  public  worship,  on  Sabbath  day,  Septem- 
ber 11,  1870.  The  cost  of  the  Organ  itself  was  precisely  the  amount 
authorized,  $2,100.  The  incidental  expenses  of  alteration  of  plat- 
form to  receive  it  and  for  sundry  other  charges,  amounted  to  $108. G6, 
making  the  whole  cost  of  the  Organ  $2,208.66.  This  amount  was 
paid  by  subscription.  The  Parish  ordered  the  list  of  subscribers  to 
be  recorded  in  the  Parish  records,  which  has  been  done.  The 
organists  have  been  Reuben  Sprague,  before  mentioned,  who  per- 
formed on  the  first  Organ,  William  H.  Nash,  who  performed  on  both 
Organs,  and  Francis  O.  Nash,  who  succeeded  him,  and  is  the  present 
organist.  The  Choir  is  a  double  quartette, — two  who  sing  soprano, 
two,  alto ;  two,  bass  ;  and  two,  tenor. 

Having  given  some  account  of  the  earliest  editions  of  psalm  and 
hymn  books  which  were  in  use  in  this  country  in  the  first  century  and 
a  half  after  its  settlement,  we  have  diligently  sought  from  tradition  or 
written  record  for  some  evidence  of  the  views  which  were  entertained 
in  this  Parish  respecting  them  and  of  the  practical  use  which  was 
made  of  them.  The  disputes  respecting  singing  by  rote  or  by  note 
were  ver}'  violent,  nor  were  they  less  bitter  in  relation  to  the  intro- 
duction of  musical  instruments.  There  is  no  evidence  that  this 
Parish  participated  in  these  controversies.  There  is  a  vague  tradition, 
that  one  individual  only  was  disturbed,  when  the  bass-viol  was  first 
used.  Dr.  Jonathan  Edwards  was  a  lover  of  music  and  favored  the 
new  way  of  singing  by  note,  while  Dr.  Nathaniel   Emmons  regarded 


71 


the  use  of  any  musical  instrument  an  abomination.  They  were  both 
eminent  divines.  Undoubtedly  the  hymn  book  of  Tate  &  Brady  was 
well  known  to  members  of  this  Parish  several  years  before  any  action 
was  taken  to  regulate  the  practice  of  singing,  (1763.)  Thus  we  find 
that  Joshua  Leavitt,  who  for  thirty  years  was  so  well  known  as  the 
treasurer  of  the  town,  was  the  owner  of  a  copy  of  Tate  &  Brady 
in  1759,  of  the  edition  of  1754,  and  Caleb  Gill,  another  respected 
member  of  the  Parish,  inscribed  his  name  in  a  copy  of  the  edition  of 
1757,  in  1791.  We  infer  from  these  facts,  that  Tate  &  Brady's  version 
of  the  psalms,  with  hymns  added,  chiefly  from  Dr.  Watts,  and  about 
fifty  tunes  attached,  was  used  for  thirty  or  more  years. 

William  Billings,  a  famous  composer  of  music,  who  was  born  in 
1746  and  died  in  1800,  had  great  influence  in  causing  an  entire 
revolution  in  sacred  music.  In  1770,  he  published  his  "New 
England  Psalm-singer  or  American  Chorister,"  containing  a  number 
of  psalm-tunes,  anthems  and  canons,  upwards  of  100  in  number. 

This  u  Psalm-singer"  came  into  general  use,  and  during  the  war  of 
the  Revolution,  was  well  known  in  the  army  as  well  as  in  the 
churches.  It  destroyed  the  practice  of  "deaconing"  the  psalm  or 
hymn,  and  led  the  way  to  the  singing  by  choirs.  Some  of  the  tunes  of 
Billings  are  yet  occasionallysung,  but  the  compositions  of  later  authors 
have  gradually  superseded  them  as  the  public  taste  and  sentiment  have 
improved.  During  the  ministry  of  Dr.  Ware,  the  "  Psalms  and 
Hymns"  collected  by  Dr.  Jeremy  Belknap  were  introduced.  The  first 
edition  of  this  collection  was  published,  probably,  in  1795,  as  the 
Preface  is  dated  May  10,  of  that  year.  In  1830,  April  8,  the  Parish 
voted  "that  this  Parish  will  hereafter,  in  the  services  of  public 
worship,  make  use  of  the  Cambridge  Selection  of  Hymns  and  Psalms" 
accordingly,  Belknap's  collection  was  used  until  new  books  could  be 
procured,  and  for  the  last  time,  April  25,  1830,  and  the  "  Cambridge 
Selection"  was  used  for  the  first  time  on  Sunday,  May  2,  1830.  In 
1844,  March  5,  at  the  annual  meeting,  a  committee  was  chosen  on  the 
subject  of  a  change  of  hymn  books,  and  by  their  recommendation  Dr. 
Greenwood's  "Collection  of  Psalms  and  Hymns  for  Christian  Worship" 
was  adopted  and  continued  to  be  used  until  April  17,  1870,  when  the 
"Hymn  and  Tune  Book"  published  by  the  American  Unitarian  Associa- 
tion, was  used  for  the  first  time,  agreeably  to  a  vote  of  March  21,  of 
the  same  year.     This  Collection  is  now  used. 

We  are  not  able  to  state  at  what  time  female  singers  first  became 
members  of  the  Choir.  It  was  certainly  before  the  close  of  the  last 
century.     Within   the  recollection  of  persons  now  living  they  were 


72 


so  numerous  as  to  fill  one-half  the  front  seat  in  the  singers  gallery, 
and  also  the  front  seats  of  the  Eastern  gallery  to  the  pews. 

We  here  close  our  minutes  on  the  subject  of  music,  some  of  which 
will,  perhaps,  afford  but  little  interest  to  many  readers  ;  but  we  trust 
that  these  gleanings  may  be  regarded  in  a  different  light  by  those 
who  are  to  come  after  us.  We  shall  at  least  enjoy  the  satisfaction 
of  presenting  historical  facts  and  local  traditions  which  will  suggest  to 
others  that  a  field  of  inquiry  and  research  is  opened  worthy  of  further 
investigation.  There  is  no  doubt  that  many  interesting  facts  preserved 
in  private  records  and  in  the  memories  of  aged  persons  remain  to  be 
disclosed  to  us. 


MISCELLANEOUS    NOTES. 

BELLS.  We  have  seen  that  when  the  town  voted  to  build  the 
present  Meeting-house  a  vote  was  also  passed  to  procure  a  new  bell 
"  as  big  againe  as  the  old  one  was,  if  it  may  be  had."  That  a  bell  was 
obtained  by  authority  of  that  vote  is  evident  from  the  following  copy 
of  a  receipt  preserved  by  Daniel  Gushing : 

"  Bostox,  January  8,  1G80.(— 81.) 
Reed   of    Mr.  Daniel  Cushing   in   money  five  pounds  four  shillings   in  full 
for  a  bell  sold  him  and  Capt.  Hubard.     I  say  Reed   by  me. 

TIIO.  CLARKE.  " 

In  the  Paiish  records,  we  find,  that  in  1731,  November  19, 
'•Samuel  Thaxter,  Jun.j  Joshua  Hearsee  and  Joseph  Lewes"  were 
impowered  to  procure  the  repair  of  the  bell,  "if  it  may  be  con- 
veniently done,  otherwise  to  exchange  the  same  for  a  new  one  as 
soon  as  may  be."  At  the  same  time,  one  hundred  pounds  was  raised 
towards  procuring  a  new  hell,  if  there  should  be  occasion. 

1731-2,  March  G.  Tin-  Parish  voted,  "  That  there  should  be  a  new 
Bellfrey  erected  on  the  top  of  the  meeting  house  of  the  Precinct, 
and  ordered,  that  tin;  assessors  of  sd  precinct  see  the  work 
accomplished." 


73 


1732-3,  March  5.  The  committee  was  authorized  "to  draw  from 
the  Treasury  what  is  wanting  for  the  new  Bell,"  £29  2s.  At  the 
same  time  a  committee  was  chosen  to  obtain  a  "  new  toung  for  the 
Bell,  or  to  enlarge  or  lengthen  the  present." 

From  all  which,  we  infer,  that  a  new  bell  was  obtained  by  authority 
of  the  preceding  votes. 

1752,  May  14.  The  Standing  Committee  of  the  Precinct,  viz. : 
Mr.  Isaac  Lincoln,  Joseph  Thaxter,  and  Hezekiah  Cushing,  were 
"  impowered  to  treat  with,  and  agree,  if  they  think  proper,  with  Mr. 
Caleb  Barker,  upon  reasonable  terms  to  new  cast  the  Bell." 

In  1765,  May,  the  Parish  voted  "  to  New  Cast  ye  bell,  and  that  it 
be  made  six  hundred  weight  and  that  twenty  pounds  lawful  money 
be  raised  for  doing  the  same." 

In  1783,  May  12,  the  Parish  voted  to  raise  £45  to  defray  the 
expense  of  "  New  Casting  their  Bell." 

In  1793,  July,  it  was  voted,  to  "cause  an  additional  weight  to  the 
tongue  of  the  Bell." 

In  1818,  August  31,  the  Parish  voted  to  have  a  new  bell.  It  was 
also  voted,  "  to  choose  a  committee  to  dispose  of  the  old  bell  to  the 
best  advantage  they  can,  &  procure  a  new  bell  that  shall  weigh  not  less 
than  eleven  hundred  weight  nor  more  than  thirteen  hundred,  and 
that  the  committee  be  authorized  to  draw  money  from  the  treasurer 
to  defray  the  expense."  The  committee  then  chosen  for  the  purpose 
above  mentioned,  consisted  of  John  Leavitt,  Benjamin  Thomas, 
Jedediah  Lincoln,  Blossom  Sprague  and  Caleb  Hobart,  Jun.  The  old 
bell  weighed,  when  sold,  542  pounds,  the  new  bell  weighed  1106 
pounds.  This  bell  lasted  but  for  a  short  time ;  and  it  became 
necessary  to  procure  a  new  one ;  and  at  a  Parish  meeting,  held  May 
6,  1822,  Voted,  to  choose  a  committee  to  inquire  if  a  bell,  weighing 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  hundred  weight,  can  be  procured,  and  on 
what  conditions.  The  committee  consisted  of  Benjamin  Beal,  John 
Leavitt,  Charles  Lane,  Charles  Gill,  and  Peter  Sprague.  Voted,  "that 
the  aforesaid  committee  be  authorized  to  jmrchase  a  bell  of  the 
above  description  if  necessary."  They  did  regard  it  as  necessary, 
and  purchased  the  present  bell,  weighing  1537  pounds.  It  was 
placed  in  the  belfry,  July  26,  1822,  and  has  been  in  use  for  more 
than  half  a  century. 

CLOCKS.  Before  the  Revolutionary  War,  there  was  a  clock 
placed  in  the  Meeting-house,  in  the  attic  story,  the  dial  of  which 
appeared  in  the  dormer-window  on    the  south-westerly  slope  of  the 

10 


74 


roof ;  and  was  thus  visible  to  the  public.  It  was  owned  by 
proprietors,  and  constructed  by  Dr.  Josiah  Leavitt,  who  is  said  to 
have  built  and  resided  in  the  house  now  owned  and  occupied  by 
George  Bassett.  It  was  built  in  1773. 
We  find  the  following  votes  respecting  the  Clock  in  the  Parish  records. 
1774,  March  14,  at  a  Parish  meeting,  "the  question  was  put 
whether  the  request  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Clock  in  the  Meeting- 
house, be  referred  to   next  May  meeting,  passed  in  the  affirmative." 

1774,  May  18,  the  Parish  voted,  "that  the  weights  of  the  Clock  in 
the  Meeting-house  have  their  course  through  the  ceiling  down  into 
the  body  of  the  House." 

1775,  March  13,  at  a  Parish  meeting,  "upon  a  motion  made  and 
seconded,  the  question  was  put  whether  Mr.  Samuel  Thaxter  have 
refunded  to  him  his  expenses  for  the  Clock  weights  and  it  passed  in 
the  affirmative." 

For  some  cause,  unknown  to  us,  the  Clock  was  removed.  Dr. 
Leavitt  sold  his  estate  in  1777,  to  Joseph  Blake,  of  Rutland,  and  was 
afterwards  an  organ  builder  in  Boston. 

A  Clock  to  give  the  time  inside  the  House,  was  placed,  in  1 835,  on 
the  front  of  the  singers'  gallery.  It  was  obtained  by  subscription, 
and  set  in  motion,  on  the  morning  of  the  celebration  of  the  two- 
hundredth  anniversary  of  the  settlement  of  the  Town,  September  28, 
1835.  This  Clock  was  made  by  Aaron  Willard  and  is  now  in 
use.  It  is  a  great  improvement  upon  the  hour-glass  which  formerly 
stood  upon  the  pulpit  to  mark  the  hours  and  indicate  the  length  of 
the  services.  The  substitution  of  a  marble,  for  its  original  face,  has 
improved  its  appearance. 

HEATING  THE  HOUSE.  The  first  attempt  to  heat  the 
Meeting-house  was  in  1822.  A  subscription  having  been  made  of  a 
sufficient  amount  of  money  to  purchase  suitable  stoves  and  apparatus 
connected  with  them,  the  Parish  at  a  meeting  held  on  January  22d, 
of  that  year,  voted,  "  that  the  Parish  give  their  assent  that  two  stoves 
with  the  necessary  funnels,  may  be  set  up  in  the  Meeting-house  in 
the  two  front  outside  body  pews,  the  front  of  said  pews  to  be  taken 
away,  in  the  winter  season,  for  the  purpose,  said  stoves  to  be  set  up 
under  the  direction  of  the  Parish  Committee." 

The  Parish,  at  the  same  meeting,  voted  to  supply  fuel  and  to  employ 
a  person  to  attend  to  the  fires ;  subsequently,  coal  stoves  were 
substituted  for  those  first  in  use  in  which  wood  was  used  for  fuel,  and 
they  remained  until  the  extensive  repairs  were  made  in  1860,  when 
the  mode  of  heating  by  furnaces  in  the  basement,  was  adopted. 


Vj 


TOWN  MEETINGS.  All  the  Town  meetings  were  held  in  the 
present  Meeting-house  from  1G82,  when  it  was  first  opened  for  public 
use,  until  October,  1780.  After  that  date,  to  accommodate  the  voters 
residing  in  the  south  part  of  the  Town,  some  of  the  meetings  were 
held  in  the  Meeting-house  of  the  Second  Parish. 

In  1827,  March  13,  the  Parish  voted,  "that  no  more  Town 
meetings  shall  be  held  in  the  Meeting-house  of  the  First  Parish, 
from  and  after  the  last  day  of  February  next."  After  that  date, 
meetings  were  held  in  the  Hall  of  Derby  Academy,  or  in  the 
Meeting-house  of  the  Second  Parish,  until  the  erection  of  a  Town 
House,  in  1844.  A  Town  meeting  was  first  held  in  the  Town  House, 
November  11,  1844.  It  will  thus  be  seen,  that  the  Town  meetings 
for  about  one  century  were  held  exclusively  in  this  ancient  edifice. 
It  was  erected  in  the  reign  of  Charles  II  and  stood  where  it  now 
stands,  during  the  remaining  reigns  of  all  the  sovereigns  of  the 
House  of  Stuart  and  the  House  of  Hanover. 

The  Society,  which  has  worshipped  in  it,  has  literally  been  "  the 
mother  of  many  people." 

Cohasset  now  contains  four  religious  societies ;  and  the  Second 
Parish  has  two  societies  within  its  original  limits.  And  within  the 
present  century,  there  have  been  formed,  within  the  present  territorial 
limits,  of  the  First  Parish,  five  other  societies,  viz :  the  Third 
Congregational,  Universal ist,  Baptist,  Methodist  and  Evangelical 
Orthodox  Societies,  while  the  venerable  old  Meeting-house,  in  which 
both  Puritans  and  Pilgrims  assembled  for  public  worship,  still  gathers 
around  its  altar  a  large  and  harmonious  congregation  of  their 
descendants. 

ANTIQUITY  OF  THE  MEETING-HOUSE.  It  has  been 
repeatedly  stated,  that  this  is  the  oldest  house  of  public  worship  in 
New  England.  "We  mean  by  that,  the  oldest  edifice  erected  for  that 
purpose,  and  which  has  been  preserved  with  reverential  care  to  this 
day.  Fragments  and  relics  of  other  ancient  Meeting-houses  may 
have  been  preserved  elsewhere,  which  are  claimed  to  have  existed 
before  the  erection  of  this  Meeting-house.  It  should  be  borne  in 
mind,  that  parts  of  the  first,  or  u  old  house,"  as  it  was  called,  were,  as 
we  learn  by  tradition,  used  in  the  construction  of  this  house. 

AVe  have  examined  with  care,  Bishop  Meade's  highly  interesting 
volumes  on  the  uOld  Churches,  Ministers  and  Families  of  Virginia" 
published  in  1857,  and  from  that  and  other  sources  of  information, 
we  learn,  that  nothing  remains  but  the  ruins  of  any  of  those  ancient 


7G 


Episcopal  Churches,  which  were  erected  in  Virginia,  before  1G81;  so 
that  we  assert,  with  entire  confidence,  that  no  house  for  public 
worship  exists  within  the  original  limits  of  the  United  States,  which 
continues  to  be  used  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  erected,  and 
remaining  on  the  same  site  where  it  was  built,  which  is  so  old  as  the 
Meeting-house  of  the  First  Parish  in  Hingham. 

We  shall  be  pardoned  for  introducing  here  brief  extracts  from  a 
discourse  delivered  in  our  ancient  Meeting-house,  September  8,  1850, 
by  Rev.  Alonzo  Hill,  D.  D.,  of  Worcester.  The  thoughts  were 
striking  then,  and  appropriate  now.  Alluding  to  his  invitation  to 
preach  in  this  House,  he  remarks  as  follows  : 

"  It  seemed  to  me  something  to  be  permitted  to  worship  with  you 
in  an  edifice  which  has  survived  the  casualties  and  changes  of  an 
hundred  and  sixty-eight  years  :  —  an  edifice  which  dates  back  to  the 
days  of  Charles  II,  and  in  which  strength  was  obtained  to  resist  his 
infringement  of  New  England's  charter ;  —  an  edifice  whose  beams 
were  laid  in  New  England's  darkest  days,  by  men  who  were  fresh 
from  the  desolating  wars  of  Philip,  aided  by  women  whose  sons  had 
been  butchered  at  their  own  doors  by  Indian  tomahawks.  It  is 
something  to  stand  in  the  pulpit  under  which  men  who  had  shared 
in  the  perils  of  the  winter's  passage  of  the  "  Mayflower  "  may  have 
sat  and  worshipped  ;  where  Eliot  may  have  stood  in  his  old  age,  and 
bent  himself  in  prayer ;  and  where  Gay,  for  nearly  seventy  years, 
with  strength  unabated  and  eye  undimmed,  ministered.  Associations 
of  this  kind  must  be  familiar  to  you,  and  must  endear  this  venerable 
church  as  no  modern  edifice,  however  beautiful  and  adorned  with  art, 
can  be  endeared.  To  you,  this  antique  structure  must  be  all  written 
over  with  the  memories  of  the  past;  this  pulpit,  these  walls  and 
pews,  must  bear  to  your  hearts  the  history  of  the  men  and  women 
who  are  gone,  —  the  venerated  and  loved,  whose  names  are  recorded 

in  your  village  annals  and  on   the  tombstones  of  your  grave-yards. 

*  *  #  *  * 

"You  have  done  well  reverently  to  preserve,  repair,  and  prop  your 
old  venerated  Meeting-house.  Let  it  stand  a.  thousand  years;  for  it 
must  speak  as  no  modern  edifice  can  speak  to  the  hearts  of  a  people. 
It  has  its  story  of  bygone  days,  and  communes  witli  you  of  the 
invisible  and  distant.  Images  arise  before  you  which  cannot  be  seen 
in  our  recent  structures;  and  impressions  you  must  receive  here, 
which,  if  you  cherish  them  as  you  ought,  will  sanctify  and  bless. 
Your  fathers  worshippei I  in  this  mountain,  and  it  should  be  holy  unto 
the  Lord  in  the  heart  of  their  children. 


77 


"  The  very  year  in  which  this  church  was  completed,  William  Perm 
made  his  memorable  treaty  with  the  natives,  so  sacredly  observed  for 
more  than  seventy  years.  Since  then  their  tribes  have  all  wasted 
away.  Since  then  have  come  the  French  wars,  and  the  vast  empire 
of  France  on  this  continent  has  been  lost ;  the  war  of  the  Revolution, 
and  the  empire  of  England  has  been  dismembered.  Since  then  our 
free  confederacy  has  been  formed  and  grown  to  greatness ;  extending 
the  shield  of  its  protection,  from  ocean  to  ocean,  over  more  than  twenty 
millions  of  people.  Under  what  varied  circumstances  have  prayers 
been  offered,  and  sermons  been  preached,  from  this  pulpit !  Under 
what  emotions  of  fear  and  hope  have  the  congregations  come  here  to 
worship !  The  story  of  New  England's  joys  and  woes  have  all 
here  been  recorded ;  these  silent  walls  have  echoed  to  the  tale  of 
New  England's  glory  and  shame  ;  they  have  witnessed  her  mournings 
for  her  losses,  her  fastings  and  wrestlings  in  prayer  for  success,  her 
thanksgivings  for  her  triumphs. 

"  Look  also  at  our  intellectual,  social,  and  religious  condition. 
When  this  church  was  erected,  Newton  was  living ;  but  his  immortal 
discoveries  had  not  put  to  flight  the  apprehensions  which  the  return 
of  a  comet  spread  among  the  terror-stricken  nations.  Locke  was 
then  living ;  but  his  revelations  of  the  powers  of  the  human  mind  had 
not  dispelled  the  delusions  which  filled  New  England  with  mourning, 
and  stained  her  annals  with  crime.  Milton  had  been  dead  seven 
years ;  but  it  was  for  the  men  of  another  century  to  comprehend  the 
power  of  this  transcendent  genius,  and  to  acknowledge  his  influence 
on  the  popular  mind.  Then  Cook  had  not  circumnavigated  the  globe, 
nor  had  Polynesia  and  Australia  been  discovered  and  reclaimed. 
The  vast  possessions  of  England  in  the  East  Indies  were  then  con- 
fined to  a  solitary  trading-house ;  and  the  vast  regions  of  the  West, 
now  the  seat  of  learning,  arts,  and  religion,  had  but  just  been  trodden 
by  the  foot  of  the  solitary  traveller.  Mahometan  arms  had  penetra- 
ted Europe,  and  were  then  besieging  the  gates  of  her  central  cities. 
Popery  had  been  aroused  by  the  energies  of  Luther,  and  was  now 
making  her  last  fruitless  struggle  for  the  annihilation  of  Protestantism. 
The  year  after  this  church  was  erected,  the  heads  of  Russell  and 
Algernon  Sidney  rolled  upon  the  scaffold  in  defence  of  spiritual 
freedom  ;  and,  five  years  biter,  James  II  and  his  creature  Jeffries 
were  pouring  out  the  vials  of  their  wrath,  and  attempting  to  break  the 
best  spirit  of  England  and  her  colonies,  and  to  trample  their  bravest 
and  best  men  in  the  dust." 


